The Gates of the Misery's Blade
by MapleLeafPianist
Summary: After a pirate betroths his daughter to save their family name, he dies and leaves a burden on her. A blade that is worth more than anything found. Now, she has to protect this blade, and solve a mystery that has been plaguing her for years. Pirate!SpainxFem!Romano. Reviews are appreciated! Rated T, but the rating WILL go up.
1. Prolouge

MERRY EARLY CHRISTMAS. This is my gift to you. Another story. :)

-Prolouge-

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><p>"<em>Please tell me that you're lying!" The reddish haired girl exclaimed, letting her tears fall freely down her face. She gripped onto her skirts hard. The whites of her knuckles showed ungracefully against the dark color of the ribbons on her wrist. A taller, darker haired girl stood behind a few people, away from the crying face. This girl's eyes were wide open, completely in shock. "Please." The crying girl sobbed over and over again.<em>

_Two men shook their heads. One smacked her, and then walked away. There wasn't any place to walk to besides the large wooden ship that the darker haired girl hated more than ever. Everyone around them dispersed, leaving the two with unharmonized reflections of each other. Blood was tainted on the white beach sands, intimidating them both, reminding them that they could no longer love their life when it was like this. "Please….This isn't true…" The lighter haired girl cried, screaming with her once beautiful voice. The waves crashed menacingly, hiding over any trace of it. Foam started to wash away the traces of the man that had died on this beach, right on this very day. The girl cried louder, scared and heartbroken. "Sister," she cried, running against the tainted red sand and into the arms of the girl who was more stable._

_She stained the shoulders of her sister's dress with the red of blood, never being able to come off of her white, laced dress. "Sister…" The older one hummed, holding her younger sister as close as she could. Her eyes opened, revealing a sharp color of defeat and betrayal. Hazel. She hummed into her sister's light, flowing hair. She didn't feel anything. She didn't seem to care as much. But she did care when her sister was upset. She frowned. "Don't cry anymore, Sorella." She murmured, stroking the younger sister's long hair. "Don't cry anymore." She said again, hoping that her sister's misery would subdue. _

_The younger sister looked upwards, her face red from tears and torn apart from believing that her lover was dead. "I can't go on, sorella. I can't." _

_The elder sister bit her lip. She knew where he was. He was alive. He wasn't dead. But her younger sister didn't know that. "Feli, please understand. It wasn't…good for you." She said, biting her lip so as it bled. "Love isn't good for either of us." She said, looking down sadly._

_Her sister sobbed even more, trying to quietly mumble a prayer, catching it under her breath so that no one could hear. "Sorella. Leave with me. We can escape this. We can go to church and confess. We can live without sins." The younger one pleaded, putting her red stained hands onto her older sister's harms. _

_It pained the other sister to see her sibling so eager to leave the place where she had grown attached. They always had been taught that in order to live, you had to listen to the waves, and to watch the stars. And they always believed her when she told them that she could hear and understand. That's why they made the decisions they made. She looked out to the gently rolling waves, showing and creating a song of sorrow, of all the dead people that would have to swim in it forever._

"_I can't go." She said. Her sibling looked hurt. "I….can't." She whispered, backing away, and walking into the many crowds of the markets. _

_The moon made deformed reflections on the lolling surface of the sea that the older sister wanted to talk to. She hummed a tune, simple, clever, and never being able to remember the next morning. A shadow passed over. The girl turned around sharply, and saw just one small glimmer. A tear. "Sorella! Get down from there!" She said, standing up and running her way to the tip of the ship. "Sorella!"_

_Tears fell down further and further the younger sister's face. "I'm sorry."_

_The oldest watched as her form sank away and away, her dress creating waves around her sister's fragile form. Tears flooded over the older sister's face, watching her sister fall eternally into the wave of blackness. She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her hand was reaching outwards, towards a nothingness that was going to crush her. She watched as the waves told a story of a girl who died of heartbreak. They told a story of how a girl had drowned in misery of her love. She heard them tell a story of her sister, falling down, down into the darkened waves. She heard them taunt her with the words that wanted to stab at her heart. It whispered along the wind creepily, never giving her a break._

"_I'm sorry. I can't."_

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><p>I hope you enjoyed it! :) Review if yo want more~ :D<p> 


	2. Introduction

And now, the story begins.

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><p>The Italian girl swept her hand across her forehead, taking away the swirled piece of hair that had made its stay there. She held her basket closer to her side, looking out painfully, remembering the day that she let her truth for living slip away. Shouting called from all directions. The market wasn't usually this busy on a Sunday. The woman blinked twice, turning back to the seller, handing over a few coins and taking some of her most favorite fruit, placing it in her white basket. All around, people hustled. Silly younger girls gossiped while boys were messing with the laces on shop doors. Orders were being barked from the bakery to across the street. The floor was lined with stone. Rough and shady.<p>

Women around lounged on chairs, facing the ocean. They held onto fussing children, who were ultimately giving their siblings a hard time. The strong Italian woman didn't mind. It was of her nature to not really care for any of this. She was just here to get a few things, then leave. Vintage shops sold fancy tea sets from over shores. She winced inwardly. Her shoes clicked gallantly along the floor. People stopped to stare. They stared at her beautiful skirts and how her hair was tied into a sloppy bun on her head. Only to hide the strange out sticking curl that would give away who she really was. They started at her slim waist and olive complexion. She didn't care. She just smirked in their direction and continued down the path.

This strange Italian woman was really carefree of herself. She had a disliking for many things, and many many people. She didn't like how people abused her looks and acted like they could be the best person on Earth. She learned the hard way that no one could ever be best. Nor perfect. "Hey, Romina. How's it going today?" a Market salesman smiled innocently. She looked at him up and down, and then gave a very small smile.

"Fine today. Isn't anyone going to church?" She said to the younger guy. She looked on the table of goods that he was selling. Jewelry and bracelets. The table was full, looking as it nothing had been bought at all. She raised an eyebrow. "Tough day?" She mumbled, looking at a locket. She fumbled around with it.

"Yeah. No one wants stuff today, I guess." He laughed nervously. This merchant knew of the wealth that this particular woman had. "People are at church. This lot here is a bunch of merchants. Wanting to sell things and buy things. It just so happened that they came on a Monday." He said, pointing to a necklace. "That one is real nice because of the chains on it. They found it on the beach a few days ago. I bought it from them. It's a real shame no one has bought it yet. I couldn't get the lock to open, though." He shrugged. "People don't want to buy this stuff because of some 'Pirates Curse' or something. Total lies, you know?"

The woman nodded, looking at the necklace over and over again. Found on the beaches. She bit her lip. "Hm." She muttered. Her face paled over. She handed the seller a large lot of coins. "Keep the change. This is valuable to me." She whispered, tucking it into the pocket of her skirt.

The man took of his hat and smiled happily. "Thank you, Miss Romina. This will feed my family for a while." He smiled. She gave a small smile back and disappeared into the crowds again.

She hated it. She hated her name. Romina. Romina, Romina, Romina. She hated it as much as she hated taking another step onto a ship. The scent from the ocean pushed her onwards. After her father had died, after their ship was captured from Spanish Pirates, she had nothing left to go to. Everything 'Vargas' was frowned upon. She was even put in jail for a few days because she said that she loved her name. So what better to do than fake a death. She faked it and told everyone the spread of her huge lie. The lie of her coming from the north, as a music teacher, a very wealthy one. Just to teach in the southern part of Italy. Thus, Romina was born and Lovina was dead, along with the crew of the 'Vargas's ship. But all this wealth. It was the money earned from the Mafia that her dad had gotten. This was all from inheritance. Not to mention that she was teaching a high powered English girl and a high powered Greek girl how to play music.

She clicked her tongue as a bunch of rowdy little kids ran past her skirts, chasing after a ball that had gone astray. There was only one road that led to her house, and this was the one. No other houses neighbored her. She was her own little community. Her backyard was the rolling hills, and her front yard was a walking gateway to the ocean. She inhaled, walking down her favorite, worn down street and checking the items in her basket. Lovina didn't like to be pick pocketed while at the market. She looked upwards to see a tall, tan man smiling at her.

She raised an eyebrow, looked behind her, then looked back in front of her. "Can I….Help you?" She said courteously. After she caught the glimpse of a showing smirk from this guy, her smile immediately dropped. "Screw this. I've got to teach in about ten minutes, so go away, so I can go home and not feel like I'm going to be raped in the middle of the night. You got that, foreigner?" She said, glaring him down. Her annoyance level was being tapered with. She took a step back and looked at him as a whole. His waves of brown were tied back in a red ribbon. He had a feathered hat and clothes that seemed that they could be suited for a noble, but were worn down and dusty. She raised an eyebrow. "If you're headed to a kids party or something, It's not here. If you're headed for church because it looks like you're half devilish anyways, it's nearly over. Sucks for you. Wait until next Sunday."

She watched him chuckle. "Ah, Si. You don't know what I am then. I am a ferocious person, and I could rip apart your torso from your legs." He said, leaning closer to her. "I am a dangerous man and can steal your gold and horde it for myself." He smiled.

Lovina leaned back, away from him. "Y-You don't scare me. Don't push me. I will end you." She threatened back. She watched him select a tomato from her basket and bite into it. She growled at him. "Bastard. Pay for it." She hissed, going on her tiptoes to try and reach the height that this guy was at.

The man reached right into her pocket and pulled out the bracelet. "Oh wow. This looks real cute. Are you going to wear it for something special or something?" He asked, swinging it above her head. She set her basket down and tried to jump and get it. He took another bite of the tomato, looking more carefully at the necklace.

Lovina's heart lurched forward. She snatched it away. "No! It's none of your fucking business!" She said, holding it with her left hand against her chest. "Fucking Pirate!" She hissed. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her right hand.

"Ah, So you do know pirates, si?" The man smiled, leaning towards her again. He caught a glimpse of something. His eyes narrowed quickly for a second. "Ah, You're married, I see?" He said. Lovina blushed inwardly at the emerald ring that was on her ring finger.

"Yes. No. Not yet." She flustered, stumbling over her words. She pouted, pointed down the road and put the other hand on her hip. "Go. Now." She said boldly.

The stranger smiled with the corner of his lip. He leaned right next to her ear and murmured "I'll be waiting for my music lesson, cute Miss Pirate Lovina Vargas."

Lovina's eyes widened, and her mouth was a little open as she watched the figure make its way down the road. After she was sure he was gone, she rushed inside and locked the doors. She set the basket on her kitchen counter and walked out to the back to get water from her fountain.

Lovina was shaken. How did that stranger know everything that she had been trying to keep a secret about. She pulled the hair tie from her hair and put a brown ribbon in its place. She felt her hair cascade on her shoulders and back. She sighed. Her pocket watch said that Elizabeth and Hera would be here in about five minutes. She rushed to her room to change into something comfier to wear than her stubborn 'wealthy skirts.' After all, she knew these two women well enough to wear 'commoner's clothes' around them. She put on a cotton pink dress that could be easily worn, and brown leather boots.

Lovina started to brew tea, because she knew that Elizabeth loved to stop and have her tea at exactly noon. No more, no less was how Elizabeth liked it. Lovina found herself to tolerate this girl. She also found herself to tolerate the very very carefree soul of Hera. A gentle knock at the door startled Lovina. She got up and opened up the door with a smile. Her smile immediately disappeared when she was a stubble-chinned man at her door. "What do you want this time." She asked, hiding behind the door. She wasn't expecting anyone to be visiting her today. "Sadik, you know every time, I'm going to say no. So get the fuck off my property and go buy yourself a lady, okay?" She rolled her eyes, having enough of this creeper's proposals. "I'm already married." She sighed.

"No, you're not. You are going to be married, You can always change your mind." He smirked. Lovina felt revolted.

"Oy! Is this bastard bothering you again, Romina?" A feminine voice called from behind the Turkish man. "I'll straighten him out. I've been working on my fencing." Lovina sighed, looking at the pigtailed English lady.

Anyone would be able to see the agitation on Hera's face. "Ah. It's you again." She said slowly, looking hatefully at the man at my doorstep.

"Oh, Hera. Elizabeth. What a surprise." He said, slinking himself around the two. Elizabeth scowled at the man while Hera just gave a look of displeasement. He waved himself off.

"Thanks girls. Come inside. Let's begin our lesson." Lovina said, glaring at the place where her persistent stalker had disappeared to.

The three ladies sat around the table. "Elizabeth and I made sweets for today." Hera said lazily, focusing her gaze out the window. Lovina nodded a thanks.

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><p>"So. I met a pirate today. A real weird one." Lovina said. She felt just like the silly pretty girls at the market who sat around and gossiped. But Lovina already knew that she could trust these two. They've known about her for a while now. There wasn't a real big secret that she had kept away from them. "He knew I was a pirate and he knew my name. In fact, that ass said 'cute miss pirate Lovina Vargas.'" She huffed along, taking a sip of the tea.<p>

Elizabeth, who was practicing the new fingerings for the violin, turned towards her. "Huh. You don't suppose that he could be…you know. Like, your husband?" She asked, setting the bow of her instrument down onto the counter. Lovina shrugged. Hera opened her mouth and mumbled something. "Dear, I couldn't understand what you said." Elizabeth smiled to her friend.

Hera smiled back. "I said that there were bunches of 'Pirates Curse' jewelry at the market today. I'm sure you noticed, Lovina."

Lovina narrowed her eyes. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

The Greek lady smirked and held up a necklace by its chain. The one that Lovina had bought earlier.

Lovina's mouth dropped. She looked into both of her pockets. Empty. "How'd You…." She grumbled.

"Hera is such a good thief that we didn't even notice."

"Also, I'll be keeping this lovely pocket watch, if you don't mind." She mumbled to Elizabeth.

The English lady looked in all of her fancy dress pockets. "What!" She laughed, snatching her watch from the pleased Hera.

A light knock was heard at the door again. Lovina grumbled, walking over to the door and yanking it open. "No, Sadik. I said no." She hissed.

"Um, miss? Wrong person." The person said. Lovina's jaw dropped. He took her hand and kissed it, looking at her with daring green eyes. "I'm Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo. And I am going to kidnap you."

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><p>Oh gasp, cheesy chapter endings FTW. :D Review if you Please.<p> 


	3. Fear the Gates

Hey Guys. After uploading the Chapter before this one, I was hit in the head with a glass beer bottle that my neighbor had thrown. I have stitches and I have been feeling dizzy, and all of that. _ So forgive me if my updates are late. Also, this chapter is around 7,500 words long. So, read to the best of your ability! Thank you~ Enjoy

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><p>The independent Italian was shocked by what she heard. "Excuse me?"<p>

"I said that you, Lovina Vargas, are going to be coming with me and my crew on a trip." The Spanish pirate grinned. Elizabeth opened the door all the way and looked at the 'pirate and his crew' then scoffed.

"This person is Spanish. I knew it. Well, your head is wanted greatly in England. I could have a conversation with officials, and you'd be dead soon. But either way, the person whom you are mistaken is Romina, the finest music tutor in all of Europe." She said nonchalantly. Lovina was surprised that Elizabeth could make it seem like she wasn't wrong at all. "Lovina Vargas has been dead for a few years now." She said.

"And, who exactly are you?" the Captain asked, putting on an acceptable smile. Elizabeth smirked.

"I'm Elizabeth Kirkland. And I could have your head at the guillotine if I dare so wanted it. Same for your measly crew there. It seems like I've captured better Pirates than this lot here."

"LIZZIE!"

Elizabeth cringed, and stormed out the door, shoving past the Spanish pirate. "What the bloody hell- Alfred!" She stood angrily. "What the devil are you doing in a pirate crew!"

The tall blonde that she was talking to shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I did anyways!" He screamed. "Well, it's kind of sad, because we're gonna probably, take you too."

The captain turned back to the Italian in the doorway. "Oh. So you're not the infamous Lovina Vargas? You're simply just a music teacher, right?"

Lovina narrowed her eyes. "Absolutely. Remember, Lovina's dead." She said, carefully shuffling her left hand behind her back. She pointed to the direction of the piano, and then made a slashing motion.

AKA, she told Hera not to let them get to the piano. "Oh. So, do you mind if we search your house for something?"

"Got a search warrant?"

"Nope."

"Then No." She said. Lovina walked past him, grabbed onto Elizabeth's sleeve and started to pull her back into the house. "Now if you may, you're wasting my student's time for practice. I hope you've had a great time in Italy. Now, get the hell out." She said, closing the door shut. Hera looked out the windows and watched as the pirates slowly walked away, still looking back at the house. "They're going to be back." Lovina hissed. "Shit, we've got to burn the papers." She threw a few papers towards Hera, who caught them skillfully, one at a time.

Lovina rushed to her kitchen and burned more papers over a stove. "Let me do that. Go wear something nice, and let's head to England." Elizabeth said. "It's a perfect plan." She whispered. Lovina shrugged, and went into her room, changing into 'something nice' just as her English friend had told her to do. Lovina didn't want to disobey this girl because if she set her off, then she'd be revealed and put to be hanged. They were friends, but Lovina was always cautious when it came to her identity. And 'something nice' always referred as being a lovely, fancy dress with a corset. Lovina grumbled.

How she did hate those corsets.

But, she did as she was told to do. She pouted and put on her corset, but not as tight as Elizabeth had put it. She remembered the saying that Elizabeth and Hera always giggled at, the one they created. "Women with slim waists never have to wait." Lovina shook her head. She had on her 'nice' dress, and was up to par on beauty with Hera and Elizabeth. It was a little past noon, and they were going to go out. She had on a nice white and green dress with ruffles near the bottom and soft lace surround the waist. She also had a white collar, because Hera said she looked lovely with collars, and should wear it more. Lovina hated having to be proper. Wild blood ran up and down her veins. The blood that was wanted badly by many people to be spilled. She was only wanted to be killed because of her father and his deeds. She smirked at her parasol, stuck her tongue at it, then snatched it off the bed of her bedroom. Lovina didn't feel like being 'clickity-click' down the stone and dirt paths, so she threw off her old, own boots, and put on some newer white colored boots. And they were rather expensive.

Lovina especially liked this dress because the pocket was not a pocket for anything more than the silver pistol that her father's best friend gave to her for her birthday. Lovina looked upwards. How old was she again? She bit her lip. "Damn. Twenty two years old…really?" She asked no one in particular. She laced up her boots and secured the pistol. After all, no one ever knew how safe a person can be. Lovina smirked. "Or exactly how deadly."

Lovina held onto a rich, silver colored key and closed the windows, locking it. She locked her desk and its contents, as well as the trunk underneath her bed. No one was allowed to see what was in there. Lovina had burned the signed papers of her father long, long ago. But the things in there, she hadn't had the will to burn.

Lovina grabbed her white basket, which contained something very important, and walked out her room. She locked that door as well. Setting her basket on the ground, she rushed around and locked all the cabinets and closets of the hallway. "Alright Elizabeth. Do you want to finish eating here, or go out and eat elsewhere?" She asked, picking up her basket with ease, and holding onto her annoying parasol. She closed the shutters of her house and locked those windows as well.

"Um. I don't mind either. Ask Hera."

Lovina shuffled in her white boots. "Hera?"

"Let's go out instead…in case they came back." Hera mumbled, yawning a bit.

"Ah, Hera. Always tired, it seems. Alright then." Elizabeth smiled.

"I'm a night person." Hera grinned back.

Lovina unlocked the piano and reached inside of it, tenderly talking out what people were trying all this time to get. The so called 'Blade of Misery.' She unsheathed it, looking at it in its full glory. The hilt was made with gold. The lining of the base was silver. But what was most important that people wanted, to greed for them was the real blade. The normal metal of the blade hid something that was worth more than most people could have in a lifetime.

Blood red diamonds.

"Legend is that my grandfather stole the largest diamond in the world, and killed its keeper, trapping his blood in a container, then drinking it. And when he woke up the next morning, the diamond was red." Lovina said, looking at it's metal exterior. The metal hadn't broken yet to reveal the diamond. But she had already known what it looked like. It was a red as the blood that her grandfather was killed with. After all, that's why it was called the Misery's Blade.

Lovina sheathed the sword, gesturing for one of her friends to come over. She sighed, linking a metal collar around her neck. "Someone lock the collar with this key." She said, handing them a much more difficult key than what was used to lock the house. It had three rows of juts, and had bumps on it to prevent people from using it on anything besides the color. Hera and Elizabeth looked at her like she had gone mad. "Well, no one is going to get this from me unless I'm dead. So lock it, please." She said. Hera had a look of pain on her face as she locked the collar shut. The collar was attached by a long, metal over metal chain. One that was very difficult to break. It'd take a strong fire to melt it, and it'd take a very hard blow to break it. The chain connected to the hilt of the sword. Hera locked it, then handed Lovina the key. The lock wasn't going to unlock any time soon. Lovina put the key into the chest of her dress, and hid the sword inside the dress. It was on a hook, next to her leg. Nobody would suspect it because of the many ruffles of her dress and its petticoat. Lovina shuffled a bit, hiding the chain.

"Lovina, I care for you. And that's why I can say that I've think you've gone mad. But you're my friend. And that's why I say these things." Elizabeth said. She straightened out Hera's flowing white dress, then fixed her own blue and ruffly dress.

"Yeah, Lovina. It's a little scary of how prepared you are to have your identity revealed."

Lovina grunted, looking in her white basket. She took out the necklace that she had bought at the market. "It's been a very long time…Sorella." She said sadly, taking a key out from behind a row of violins. She popped open the little locket on the end, seeing a worn down and faded picture of her and her sister, embracing. Lovina smiled at the thought. "We had good memories." She said, placing the locket in her dress pocket. Lovina looked on the counter of the kitchen, frightened that she may have lost the little silver key to her home. "Has anyone seen my key?"

Hera grinned. Lovina noticed. "If you weren't my friend, I'd slap you." She chuckled, taking the key from Hera's hand. Lovina put a large back of money in her basket and wrapped it up in a cloth. She didn't want any people that passed buy to want to start to steal. She escorted her English and Greek friend to the door. Lovina shut it slowly and locked it. She then took her ribbon and tied up her hair, hiding the curl that would reveal her being a Vargas. She tucked her house key in her hair and looked at the two. "Alright then, lets go."

The trio walked down the dusty pathway. Elizabeth fixed her glasses.

"I know you have information on that guy." Lovina said, looking at her through the corner of her eye.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I know information on most anyone." She smirked. "Anyways, I know that he is wanted to be killed. Quite a thief. Stole a bit of gold from a ship, one that wasn't even a pirate ship. But, nevertheless, he stole. It was indeed the Queen's ship, so, it's my duty to have him killed. His crew killed a handful of people on that ship. We don't know if it's by accident, or if they were just trying to keep their mouths shut. Fernandez-Carriedo is wanted in France, Germany, Austria, and God knows where else. What scares me is that Germany and Austria are inland, so I don't know what the bloody hell he did to his ship to get there. But it must've involved walking. He's been banned from Switzerland and that little Principality next to it. Also, I'd be pleased if he were dead by my order because, well, the Queen does not support pirates at all. Unless they're her own." Elizabeth said. "Fernandez-Carriedo has been offered a large bounty. So, he gets turned in, and riches will be ever going." She said. Elizabeth really didn't care much for money. She just liked the fact that she was able to please someone of high standing. More so, the Queen. Hera nodded. "Also, don't steal at this market, Hera. We all know what sticky hands you've got." Elizabeth winked. Hera laughed a bit, pulling on a joyful smile. Lovina was more concerned about what that pirate wanted to do with her. She just wanted to make her way to a different place, and fast.

As they headed into the Town Square, there were fits of laughter and screaming. Lovina raised an eyebrow. "What are they doing now?" She grumbled. Town square is where everyone headed to get anything. Food, clothing, hardware. Anything. And that included the little café's that they were heading to. As they entered the crafted gated area, Lovina felt her eye twitch. Just a little bit. People swirled around, right around and past everyone, embracing and moving to the fresh music being played in front of a shop that sold leather. "How the hell are we going to get through this…" She hissed to herself. A person danced right by, but stopped in front of her when he caught her gaze. It was one of her favorite merchants, Piero.

"Ah, Romina! It's wonderful! The farmers have brought in a wonderful harvest! We have plenty of food for during the cold season!" He said happily. "My wife and I were so happy, and everyone else was too. So they're having a party in Town Square. Isn't that nice!" He said, tipping his hat and holding onto one of his daughter's hands. "I'll see you around, okay!" He smiled, genuinely happy, swooping up his daughter, who was laughing happily. Lovina tilted her head, smiling as the daughter waved a chubby hand at her as she was carried away. Lovina looked around at the wondrous harvest festival that came up all of a sudden. Housewives decorated the area and danced with their husbands. In the circle of the dancing adults, children swung around and span with their siblings. Lovina loved having parties in Town Square. But when she needed to do something, it wasn't so convenient. Hera grabbed onto Elizabeth's sleeve.

"This way. And don't get lost." She said, not looking back. Elizabeth held onto Lovina's white basket, bringing them around the corners of the clockwise spinning party goers. Lovina was tousled by dancing women and their swaying skirts. She felt something loosen on her basket, and she looked forward.

"God damn, Elizabeth! Hera!" She said, noticing their absence. "Where the hell are you!" She hissed. She hid her basket in a tree and stomped her way through the crowd, trying to look for familiar faces. She saw a glimpse of blond hair. "E-Elizabeth-" She tried to walk that direction, but was cut off by a woman in a flowing white dress dancing by. "Hera-"

An arm slid around her waist and dragged her into the middle of all the dancing. The person that started to dance with her was well dressed, and in brown boots. He smiled at her. "Don't mind if I take you out for a dance, do you?"

Lovina reminded herself that she had to act proper. After all, this guy looked like he wasn't a peasant farmer like the people of this town. "Oh, no thank you Sir. I've actually have to find my friends. They've been stolen away by some men as well." She said, dancing along. It'd be rude to stop dancing, especially if you were in the middle of a crew of dancing peoples. The two joined hands and started to go around again, clockwise, with the rest of the dancers. "I really can't keep dancing with you." She said, spinning on her own and taking his hand again. "Seriously, I can't find them and I'm not sure if they're looking for me." She said, indirectly pulling the two to the edge of the dancers. Kids holding each other's hands span by.

"Oh? That's sad. I'm only visiting here for a while, Vargas. I hope you can stay for just a dance more."

Lovina avoided his eyes and blushed in frustration. "Ah. My friends and I only came here for a moment. We should be heading back to complete their music less-" She looked upwards, shocked, and over all, kind of frightened. "Vargas?" She hissed. Lovina noticed her mistake and tore her hands out of his. "H-How could you mistake me for such a brutal, barbaric lady such as Vargas? Thank the lord that she's dead." Lovina said, feigning shock. She looked upwards and hissed to herself. It was that Spanish Pirate. He looked down at her with glimmering green eyes.

"Well, another dance is starting. Shall we?" He said, not waiting for a reply, and swinging her hips into another one. People around cheered and smiled. Lovina cringed away from the man, wanting to make as little contact with him as possible. "After all, right as we speak, my crew is going through your house. Vargas, I know you've got what I'm looking for." He smiled. "But I hope we can be friends." Lovina stomped on his foot with the heel of her boot. She looked right into his newly pained green eyes.

"How dare you insist I'm someone that I'm not, and then proceed to tell me that we could 'be friends'! I'm appalled, and I'm going home." She angrily hissed, swiveling her way through the crowd, snatching her basket and walked towards the edge of the circle. The pirate could only smile and watch her and her hips sway away.

Lovina watched one of the musicians fumble with his guitar. He was on a platform with the rest of the musicians, and wasn't performing yet. Lovina's eyes twinkled. She could get on that platform, help him, then search for her friends in the process. She lifted her skirts a little and walked up the ramp and gently took the guitar from the man. She tuned it with ease. She looked out and against the crowd while doing so. She didn't see anyone at all. "Wonderful!" The guitarist smiled. Lovina looked at him.

"Wait, what? It's no problem."

"No, guys, Romina the Musician is here!" He clapped. People stopped dancing and started to clap happily. Someone ended up handing her a violin. "Why don't you play us a tune? A real quick one, then we can send you on your way." Lovina looked at the man like he was insane.

"What?"

"Go on!" He smiled. His actions were pure, but she was on the point of sneering at him. She falsely smiled, trying to hide her frustration. Thus created another blush from her.

"Oh, no thank you. I've got to find my students." She said, holding onto the neck and bow of the violin. The kids below smiled at her with gleaming and twinkling eyes.

"Please, Miss!" They said.

Lovina laughed nervously. She shook her head a bit. "You all are going to kill me." She mumbled, scanning the crowd again.

One of the kids tugged on her skirts. This kid was always around the market, and loved to talk to her about music and how to play things. Lovina smiled down at her. "Yes, Ofelia?"

"Can you play 'Canzona' for me?" She asked with brilliant brown eyes. Lovina bit her cheek, finding it hard to say 'no.'

Lovina nodded. "Alright then. One quick song guys, then I have to go." She said, pulling the violin to her chin. She pulled the bow fiercely. She told Ofelia that this song was meant to represent how someone loved someone else, but the person that the person loved was dead because she had drowned in the sea. Lovina rarely played this song because it reminded her about how her own sister was dead because of some silly guy. She pulled on sorrowful notes and suddenly heard a guitar being played along with her. She looked next to her and found that Spanish Pirate. She hissed over to him "What are you doing here?"

"Playing music, Romina." He said, putting tense on her name. She sneered, but continued to play, regardless of the very fitting guitarist next to her. She moved her bow furiously, and tilted her vibratos to the side. Soon, the piece was over, and Lovina bowed, giving the man back his violin and rushing her skirts off the stage. So much for finding her friends. They were no where to be seen. Lovina walked down a path to the beach, and saw a pair of glasses sticking out of the sand. Red rimmed and rectangular. They were Elizabeth's. Lovina checked behind herself quickly before putting the glasses into the basket and hurrying herself down the beach, to the dock. There was a large ship there, and figures on the pier. Lovina relaxed her shoulders.

"You've got to be SHITTING ME." She squeaked, picking up her skirts and running her way down the sandy beach. She heard the frustrating screams and threats of Elizabeth. Lovina could just picture the annoyance that was in the Pirate's faces. Because Elizabeth could scream. And she was very very good at doing so.

She looked in the alleyways and saw eyes following her down the beach. She shook it off and kept running. A figure was about twenty feet in front of her, and flashed a real quick smile. Lovina's jaw dropped. "Damn Pirate!" She yelled after him, running faster. The small heels on her boots weren't exactly welcoming. And she didn't like that she had to lug around a basket full of things that she really did need. Her stomach grumbled. She had a small breakfast this morning, and was sure that it wasn't going to be very well now that she was probably going to be captured so that Elizabeth can go back to England and Hera to go back to Greece. Lovina got to the pier moments after the pirate had. "Oh come on. You've got to be kidding me. You're kidding me, right?" She said, raising an eyebrow at her tied up friends. They sat on the wooden floor angrily.

"No shit, right?" Elizabeth said. "Man, I hate pirates. They're rowdy, unsophisticated, and everything that I hate. ALFRED." She said, pointing daggers in her glare at the blonde man. "I demand that you let me go, at this instant. If you don't, guard yourself while you're asleep. Because I. Will. End. You." She hissed. Alfred shrugged, smiling at her.

"I don't mind."

Hera looked around lazily. "They took everything from your house, Romina. I don't really think that we're getting out of this one." She said, looking at the chests and the baskets full of clothing. "They're really going all out on this kidnapping."

Lovina set down her basket, and picked up Elizabeth's glasses from it. She then shifted her weight to her left hip. "Okay, pirates. What do you want. Money, wealth, I've seen it all. Someone once kidnapped a child from a market demanding that he wanted custom boots, or he'd kill the kid. I really have seen it all." She said. She cleaned off Elizabeth's glasses, dusting the fair sand out of the corners of them.

"Well, you have a precious sword that I'm sure you have right now." The Spaniard said, walking in front of her.

"Who says I do? And who says I know what this sword is. I swear, you're all idiots. That pirate you're looking for is dead. Gone." She said, looking back into those orbs of green. With a quick movement, she caught a glimmer of silver heading in her direction. Lovina's blood pulsed. She pushed her palm against the flat of the sword, and twisted it around with the other, throwing it in the air, pushing the person who attacked first to stumble backwards, and caught the sword by pinching the tip of it with her middle finger and her thumb. She immediately regretted it.

"It is true. We do have a Vargas amongst us men. After all, she did do the move that all of the Vargas Family is required to know."

"Damn." She smirked, putting a hand on her hip and throwing the sword onto the deck. "Oops. I've been caught. Isn't that right, Elizabeth?" Lovina tossed her the glasses. Elizabeth caught them and put them on.

"Seems so. And how rude it was to throw my glasses into the sand." She said, blinking a few times and standing, letting the ropes fall from her waist and ankles. "But that was the past, right, Hera?" Elizabeth smiled, watching as the men stared at her unbound self in awe.

Hera now held a brilliant shining sword. A different blonde man looks at his sides and pouted. "She took my sword!"

Hera smiled and felt the blade of it in her hand. "That's right, Elizabeth…" She trailed. "It's also been a while since we've had this much excitement." She gripped sword tightly.

Lovina put her hand on the pocket of her dress. "So, what are going to do with me now, Pirate?" She sneered to the Captain.

"Well, depending on the circumstances, I can see that we've got a thief, a person who gets out of things, and a wanted pirate princess who wants to probably kill me. This isn't looking too well. But I have a whole crew specializing in many things. So, uh, this is probably about the time where we start to fight to see if you can escape or not." He said, smiling darkly at Lovina. Lovina pulled the little ribbon and silver house key from her hair, letting her little curl stick out and show her Vargas genes.

Lovina nodded, not showing a simple smile at all. After all, she didn't have to be courteous at all. She was Lovina Vargas, an icy wonder of the sea. Who would care about Romina anymore. Because Lovina sure didn't give a shit.

All at once, she saw a blonde pirate pull out a pistol. Lovina smirked, tilting her head to the side. "Amateur. Lesson one: Never let the sun glint off a gun." She said, reaching into her dress pocket and quickly taking her own out, shooting in the direction of that man's feet. Men swirled around, trying to captivate her and her friends. Lovina smirked. She was going to play a game. How long could it take before she used the Blade of Misery. She ducked under the grasping arms of someone, then span around swiftly to meet someone's foot with the heel of her boot. She danced her way out of the little circle looking at their faces. The emerald eyed captain stood perfectly still, hand in pockets and smiling. He had an impressed look on his face. Lovina wanted him to be more than impressed. He wanted him to bow down to her and return her home.

Elizabeth took out a shorter, but sharper bladed sword that she had hid as well. In her little circle, Alfred was smiling tauntingly at her, at the ready, pointing a sword at her. She pointed hers toward him. "I never did want to fight you, Alfred." She said sadly, deflecting off the incoming blade. She spun around and looked at him through the top of her glasses. The two circled each other, occasionally jerking to either side of each other. The taller blonde looked down at her, smiling, and his large blue eyes twinkling. She hated how he made it a game every time. "Every single time." She growled, clashing their swords again. Elizabeth looked over to Hera, who seemed like she was having the most fun. "Hera. Count us off?" She asked, watching as her friend punched people around the shoulders and deflected swords with the other hand.

"One Hundred Twenty Eight. One, Two, Set and.." She said, turning and twisting her way on people's backs. Hera loved to mess with people. She'd make it look like she was about to attack, then left in a flash to hurt someone else.

Lovina huffed. "You're getting on my nerves." A French man said to her. She listened to Hera count off the tempo at which they were planned to fight at. "Hera, a little off beat there." She said, shooting the ground where the Frenchie was standing. He stepped back and launched at her with his sword. She did the same thing. Hit, twirl, throw, push, catch and launch that damn sword over the edge of the deck. The French man looked at her with disgust. "How rude." He said, heading over her and starting to slap the pistol from her hands.

"What the fuck!" she said, struggling to catch the pistol. She ended up doing so, and put it back in her pocket. She then proceeded to slap the man's hand away. "Piss off!" She said, feeling her face heat up with embarrassment and anger. "Quit slapping me!" She said, kicking one of his legs and slapping away his hands.

"No! I refuse! You threw my sword into the ocean!"

"Then go fucking fish it out for all I care!" She said. "You're agitating me!" she said, continuing to slap the area between them. She saw a person about to attack behind her, and she turned around in a flash, smacking that person in the jaw. Lovina grunted, shoving him away. Lovina unsheathed the chained sword to her. Her annoyance level was up to past her head. She was about to kill the guy who was smacking the air between her and him. "Can't you see I'm busy!" She hissed to the albino she had just shoved away. She felt someone slapping her shoulder and sides hard enough to make Lovina stumble backwards a bit. She gasped.

"Dude." The albino said. "Really?"

The Frenchman looked around. "What? She threw my sword into the ocean." He shrugged.

Lovina's mouth was open, and her face was in a fit of rage. "Did you just….hit a woman?" Alfred asked behind her, stopping the fight with him and Elizabeth to see this. Elizabeth put a hand on her hip. People stopped fighting with Hera and looked at the French man. He put his hands up.

"She has the sword. I say we take it, drown her and continue on with life." He said, looking at Lovina up and down. He smirked and said. "Well, this one's pretty, so I guess we can take her as prisoner too. After all, that collar says that the sword and she are a deal package. Lovina stood in shock, her sides stinging a bit, and aiming a sword at him.

She scoffed. "A deal package. You disgust me." She said, bracing herself again. The French man looked at her hand.

"Or, it seems like you're married, so…"

Lovina pointed it closer to his throat. "Don't. Even. Dare. This is called the blade of misery for a reason." She said. He scooted closer to her. She stepped back. He took a step forward.

"Huh, the collar is locked, right?" He said, yanking on the heavy chain, Lovina stumbled forward. Elizabeth shoved past men and looked at the frenchie with a scowl.

"Fuck off, Frog face." She said. "Or should I say, Francis Bonnefoy?" She asked, looking at his hand that was still holding onto the chain. "Who should let go of the chain or else I'll cut off his hand, Hm?" She said, blinking at him.

"Hm, I don't think so." He said, pulling on the chain.

"Well, she's not leaving with you, so hand her over." Elizabeth said, pulling on a different part of the chain.

"That's not going to happen." He said, pulling it harder.

"Well, I say that you should give it before you die." She said, pulling it equally as hard.

The albino looked at Hera then back to the tug of war that was going on. Lovina coughed a few times and watched as the grin faded away from the Captain's face. The Albino noticed too. "Uh, guys, come on. This is stupid. Miss English lady should let go."

"Or Mister Frenchie should let go." Hera said, stepping forward and looking at them. "Look guys, you're killing her."

Lovina was gripping at the chain, trying to breathe. The two blonde people let go at the same time. Alfred plainly walked up and held Hera and Elizabeth by the waists. "Well, since that's over, we can just take you two and let us decapitate your friend so we can get the sword, okay?" He said, walking backwards into the crowd of large men. Elizabeth flailed, and Hera studied the new things that she held.

"Nice glasses." She said to Alfred, who snatched them from her hand and have the two women to different, strong men.

"Seems like you couldn't manage to win this one." The Spanish captain said, watching her catch her breath. Lovina looked at him exasperatedly.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! This bastard hit me! No one hits ladies. And you sat your ass out the whole time!" She said, standing up straight and holding onto her sword even tighter. Francis caught a slight glint, a sparkle. A key. He shrugged and reached into Lovina's shirt. She lifted her leg, and kicked him as hard as she could in his nether regions. Her face was bold red. The pirates behind her hissed, watching their friend crumple to the floor. "Bastard! She yelled, kicking him again and again." He just curled up tighter into a ball on the floor. "Lord knows what kind of hell I'm going to send you to after doing that!" She heard a mumble that sounded like 'Ohohohon. Don't act like you didn't like it.' She kicked him harder with the heel of her boot. "Damn French men! Go rot in hell!" She said. There was a tug on the chain and she was pulled backwards away from the newly crippled Francis. She breathed in and out fast, rage written into her face. Her face was centimeters away from hers. She felt her rage burn out and be replaced with embarrassment.

"And you have the key to your lock, don't you. And it's down your shirt?" He asked strictly.

Lovina pouted then glared at him. "Yes. I do. And you're not getting it."

He suddenly broke out into a smile. "That's mine with me, Lovina! Come one guys, let's head onto the ship. I'm sure that Kiku's about to die because of the time we've wasted. Vamos!" He said cheerfully. He all of a sudden snapped a cuff onto Lovina's wrist. "We've got our guests, and we're ready to go!" He smiled. The crew cheered. Lovina looked at the metal circle on her wrist.

"Oh hell no." she said, flicking him on the shoulder. "I'm not going to be chained like a pet!" She said bravely, but stepping back when Antonio turned around to face her. "I'm not moving at all. I am refusing to move until this thing is off of me. Furthermore, I refuse to step onto that coffin on the sea." She crossed her arms and sat on the pier, stubborn. The Captain smiled at her with kinder eyes. He pulled on the chain a little bit. He then bent down and whispered into her ear.

"I won't imprison you, princessa. I'm more gentleman-like than that." Lovina's face turned bright red.

"I-I'm still not moving!" She said, watching as some men loaded all of her belongings onto the very large ship. In a blink, she was swooped up and was being carried bridal style onto the boat. Lovina squirmed in his grasp. "Let go of me! I'm not going to step onto that damned ship!" She screamed. The Captain brought her on deck and held her just a few inches above the ground. She narrowed his eyes. "Don't you fucking dare." She said, watching his smile creep up again. "Don't you dare!" He let go of her waist, listening to the small click that her heels made on the wood.

"Oops." He smiled. She stepped on his foot, making sure she had a clear view of him wincing. She heard shuffling behind her and watched as Elizabeth was pushed onto the ship. Her face was torn between annoyance and hatred.

"Dear Lord, how dirty can this place get. The floor is just like dusty old mud and wood. Ugh. And it squeaks too. How can you dare to live on this place. Ew. I hope that isn't a piece of rotting food on the floor. It smells like a Cigar. I hate Cigars. I also hate how the whole deck is wet with beer and who knows what else. I'm shocked at how horrible you keep this place. There is a tear in the sail, can't you see it? Oh, You can't because you're all stupid, and whatever eyes you've got are only focused on money. You should check in to the local whore house for being money whores, you all are. How disgusting and crude. What? Am I being tied to the bloody mast? How dare you! I can't believe you can take me as prisoner and not give me the treatment like a woman. I feel ashamed for being in the presence of some nasty old men. And you, tie your shoes. Who do you think I am? Your mother? I won't do anything you say, nevertheless tie your fucking shoe. It smells like ass. Why don't pirates ever take showers? And if you want to tie me to it, use nice rope instead of this nasty, broken one. It looks likes the rope you hanged your dignity with. You're all perverts. If I wake up the next morning and see that anything has happened to me or one of my friends, I will kick you so hard in the crotch that you'd be mistaking yourself for a girl. Hmph."

Lovina watched her friends be tied up. The albino covered his ears. "Damn, woman, stop your whining!"

Elizabeth just looked at him. "Whining. You think that THAT was whining?" She laughed. "THIS is whining~ Ah, this rope is too tight~ It's pulling on my corset~ How will I LIVE if its puling on my corset~ Dear lord, I think that I just stepped on a cigar~ Now my shoes are all ruined~ You're holding me too rough~ let go of me, I don't like it~ My glasses are dirty, I hate it~ It's too warm outside~ Where's my parasol~ I neeeeeeeed it~ Oh I wanna go home~ I want to tell the queen of how rude you all are~ Ah~ Why must you take me on a boat~ I hate boats~ I hate the rocking it maaaaakes. Someone fan me, it's too hot~ I might just DIE~ You all look like you bathe in mud~ Ew~ You touched my dress, now it's ALL RUINED~ RUUUUIIIIINED~ Now go make me another, or I'll just DIE~ No one cares about me because I'm being Huuuuuurt~ Alfred, dear, tell your mean friends to go awaaaaaay~ I don't like it here~ You pulled on the string, My corset is too tight now~ I hate this, AH, How I just want to die because my life is sooooooooo miserable~" She said, acting as girly as she could. She swayed her hips and pouted, then crossed her arms. She then kicked the Albino's calf. "THAT'S whining. Don't push me. I'll do worse." She said. He made a biting motion towards her and shooed her.

The captain pulled on Lovina's chain. She was about to gnaw off her wrist if the pulling continued. She sheathed her sword and followed, pouting and red. "Where are we going?" She demanded.

"To the Captain's Quarters, courtesy of me." He said, opening a door and ushering her inside.

Lovina looked around and scoffed. There wasn't that much of a mess, but the desk had papers upon papers on them. In the corner was a little area for a guitar. There was a large bed in the middle of the room with lamps on the walls. "This isn't your office, is it?" She asked.

"Nope." He said, about to tie her chain onto the bed frame. She smirked. This was her chance to get back outside. She tugged on his sleeve, her eyes ready with fake tears.

"You're not going to just…leave me here, are you?" She said between sniffled. The Captain started to look nervous. After, it was her father who told her that since she was a girl, her emotions could be her biggest advantage, and disadvantage at the same time. "I… I thought you said you were better than that." She cried into her hands. The absolutely fake tears rolled down her cheeks. He stopped what he was doing and put his hands on her shoulders.

"U-Um, don't cry, Lovina. It'll be alright. I just needed to talk to you about something, that's all-"

"No, You wanted to leave me here and do whatever pirates do. You don't like me at all." She said. She brought in her shoulders more for effect. In Lovina's mind, she thought that this was the sure ticket to sending her and her friends free.

"No, It's not like that at all." He said softly, trying to look at her face, but was only stared at by the large emerald ring on her ring finger. "Lovina…" he said, biting the inside of his cheek. "How about I take you to see your friends for a while, then we can talk, Si?" he asked.

Lovina pretended to slow down her crying. "You promise?" She asked, looking up at him with watery eyes. She saw his concerned face and had to nearly stop herself from laughing at him.

"I promise. Now come on, we have some serious things to talk about." He said, wiping her eyes. Lovina kept herself from flinching away. When he had his back to her, she blinked with ease, and the fake tears were all gone. Because now, she had gotten him to go on deck, bringing her with him. When they got back outside. Lovina felt devastated. The ship was moving.

"When did the ship start to sail?" She asked, tugging on Antonio's sleeve.

"Huh? Oh, when your English friend was 'whining'." He said. "I'm so sorry I made you cry. I didn't mean to…" he said, looking away nervously.

Lovina's eyes widened. She had never expected for him to apologize. "It's okay, now that I get to see my friends." She lied. The two walked up to the tied ladies. Lovina shrugged. "We tried."

Hera shrugged too. "Not well enough."

Elizabeth was busy fussing with Alfred who was taunting her. Lovina felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around.

"Um, also, May I please have the key?"

"They key?"

"Um, yeah. They key to the sword…?"

Lovina reached down her shirt and held the key tightly. "This key?"

"Ah, yes, that one."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Is it YOUR key?"

"Well, no.."

"Right. It's kind of my key. After all, you've taken all of my possessions. Why should I give you one of the few things that I have left?"

"Because….I said please?"

"Tsk. Tsk. You can't have it. Sorry."

"Why not?"

"Because I said 'sorry.'"

"But we need that key."

"No you don't. Does your life depend on it?"

"Not at the MOMENT."

"Well, then I'll give it to you when it IS the right moment."

"….I lied. I need the key now or…or…. Or Gilbert will kill Alfred." He said, looking over at the Albino. The albino gasped 'oh.' Then put a sword to Alfred's neck. "Look at that Gilbert. A real ruthless person. I say we don't risk Alfred's life." Alfred was surprised, and had his hands up, looking at Antonio.

"Not cool, man." Alfred frowned.

"Well, I don't know him. So it's fine."

"Um…I need the key or else Gilbert will kill Alfred, who's about to kill your English buddy." He said. Alfred pointed a pistol to Elizabeth's head.

"Wait a bloody moment, there!" She said angrily. "Alfred, that pistol better be empty. Because if I die, I will reincarnate into a cat and maul you to bits." She hissed.

Lovina shook her head. "This isn't working out well for me. I'm not giving up this key." She pouted, clutching it tighter. Gilbert rolled his eyes dropped the sword and stormed over, taking Lovina's hand and snatching the key away. Lovina pulled it back. "It's not yours." She said.

"Well, YOU'RE ours. So what's yours is ours. Hand it over." He said, reaching towards her hand. Lovina jerked her hand away.

"No." She said, fiercely set on that word.

"Hand. It. Over." He said, swiping at it again.

"No! You're not allowed to have it!" She yanked her hand back.

Thus started a game of snatching and turning. "Here, Lovina, just give it to me, please?" Antonio said, reaching towards the key. He got his finger into the loop of it. Lovina pulled on the notches, away from him. She shook her head. Her face turned red as he put an arm around her waist and pulled at her. She shook her head a again, and refused to let go of the key. Lovina stumbled forward and stepped on Gilbert's untied shoelace. The albino pirate knocked into Antonio, sending him backwards, and pulling Lovina with him.

And there went the key.

Over the side of the boat.

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><p>Thank you for reading :) Tell me what you liked in a Review. :D<p> 


	4. For Misery Waits

It's been a while! I've currently been a bit busy, so I'm glad that I could squeeze in this update. If it's short, or seems like it, I apologize, but it is going to work out for the future. ;) Thank you again! Happy reading~

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><p>Lovina's jaw dropped as she watched the perfect set of her freedom fall into the abyss of the ocean. The warm Mediterranean air brushed back her brown locks, and also created an uneasy, awkward feel to the entire ship. "I...hate you." She grumbled, turning around slowly with an unamused expression. "I truly, dearly, have a strong hatred for you." She hissed, her eyes fixated on the captain that had practically got rid of her freedom. Her once wonderful golden eyes turned into the color of rust. "That key...It can't be replaced. There's only one of it in the world." She sneered at him, clicking the heel of her boot on the floor. Her face contorted into anger, meticulous and cunning. "Just...maybe you can get me another key, si?" She asked, stepping closer. The Spaniard raised his hands a bit, chuckling nervously.<p>

"H-Hey, Don't worry, right? We'll find another key."

Lovina stepped closer, the edges of her mouth twitching downwards in annoyance. "I'm not sure you could get it through your thick skull, Spaniard. That was the only key on Earth. You could travel as far as you could, across the Atlantic and the Seven Seas. But you will never find a key as complex as that one that could unlock this lock." The Italian tilted her head, then grinned wickedly. "Oh, wait, I know where YOU could find a key like this!"

Antonio sighed, gladly. "Ah, that's wonderful-"

"In HELL."

Lovina quickly unsheathed her sword and ripped the little silver chain from Antonio's hands. It took some force because of his gloves, but she managed it on her first try, settling her shoulders back menacingly. "Fernandez- Carriedo. The kid with the Axe, right? The family that came to power of the seas after you murdered my family!" Lovina asked bitterly. "Why don't you just die already! Do us a favor!" She squeaked, raising her arm and bringing her sword down on Antonio's. Antonio had turned around in just the split of the moment to block it. She grunted in annoyance and tilted her sword, running it down the length of the Captain's, generating a screeching sound from his piece of metal. She span around again, pulling harshly on the sword, making sure to cause as much friction as she could.

"Plea- please, Vargas!" Antonio tried to talk, cut off by another clash of their swords. Lovina maneuvered her feet in a spiral, making her way to the other side of the Captain. He turned around again, deflecting her sword with a flick of his wrist. He winced and shook his hand. "That hurt!" He whined.

"Like I give a shit!"

"Ouch."

"Spero che dannegi!" Lovina rubbed it in.

"I know that this is really, really bad."

"I hope you know it!" She said back, attacking with all her might. "You threw my key into the sea! My only key! It was only one key!"

"It wasn't me! Blame Gilbert!"

"What the hell, Tony?"

"Right now, I don't give a damn about that German bastard!" She said, lunging towards Antonio, with her sword aimed for his throat. Antonio stepped backwards again, giving Lovina more room to step forward. But Lovina was starting to tire. She hadn't had a duel in such a very long time. It was starting to burn the edges of her vision, driven by rage and confusion. Yet Lovina simply disregarded it, continuing to turn her sword and drag it along the blade of Antonio's. People hastily moved around, avoiding the ever clashing metal of the swords. They cheered for their captain obnoxiously. Antonio acted nervously about it, fumbling the more that they cheered. Antonio didn't want to fight Miss Vargas! More importantly, since she didn't understand the predicament that he was in, he didn't want to hurt her! She was a woman! If you're a man, even on the ruthless seas, you just don't hurt females. Its taboo. But Lovina was set on slitting his throat. What would he do!

"Come on now! He's a worthless pirate! He can die in a second, Lovina!" Elizabeth screamed, trying to get her voice to be higher than the noisy men on board. They screeched profound things at her music tutor, and she wasn't so happy about it. The English woman wiggled against the ropes that held her. She stomped her heel in frustration, looking over at her friend, Alfred. He was too busy engaged in the current duel. He had on a poker face, not cheering like his crew mates were. They had a deal, and she knew that he remembered it. Elizabeth smirked to herself.

Lovina growled, spinning herself clockwise and flicking the end of her sword upwards, catching the chain that was connected to her wrist. Bits of the cheap metal showered downwards. Hollers erupted, sending loud noises bowling her sanity over. She mumbled in frustration, flicking her wrist again and trying to get to land an attack on the Captain. Antonio span around and out of the way, just in time to dodge the furious Italian's attack. Lovina made herself about face and lashed outwards once more. Antonio had anticipated that. He latched his gloved hand onto her wrist and pulled her closer. Lovina stumbled forward, turning her hand around that was in his hand, and holding onto his wrist as well. Antonio frowned, trying to pull her closer once more.

Lovina closed her eyes. They were already spinning circles, so why not use it to her advantage. She clenched onto his wrist and started to spin with the force that was used. The two went around in circles for a while, until she opened her eyes and noticed Antonio's fumbling steps. In his vision, doubles of people span around and around, making him feel as if he were in a spinning wheel. He blinked his green eyes a few times, giving Lovina the chance of getting her way towards his back. The Vargas family was always taught to not feel such a simple thing as dizziness.

The Captain already knew of the hidden tricks that the Vargas family had. His father taught him almost every single one of them. But the Vargas family had a lot of surprises. Antonio whipped himself around, clashing swords with Lovina, who grumbled, caught. He sighed in relief, dashing to the side again to block the sword. "Ah, You know, I never meant to drop the key." He said in between blocking the incoming attacks.

"If this is an apology, then I gladly refuse it." Lovina said, shifting in her heavy skirts. Lovina twirled her wrist once more, just one more time to ensure her victory. She watched as his sword was taken out of his hand and went soaring into the air. This was her chance. This was her chance to finally kill the bastard!

Antonio knew enough to know what her next attack was going to be. When he noticed her look his way, he grabbed onto the chain connected to her neck, and pulled her backwards, grabbing onto her wrist that had the sword. Lovina grumbled, having to try to struggle out of his grip. No use. Lovina hissed and kicked the hilt of the falling sword upwards, wrenching her unarmed hand from Antonio's black gloved hands and caught the sword. Antonio twisted his hand, taking her chain sword into his own hand.

Everything seemed to stop. Lovina's eyes slowly drifted to her own sword that was next to her neck. How did it end up this way! Lovina had her back against the Captain's chest, holding a sword that hovered above his hip. And he held onto her waist, holding HER sword that was next to her neck. Nobody moved at all. Everything was silent besides the sound of the waves against the side of the boat. Golden eyes fell upon a little symbol. Something that she hadn't seen in a long time. Furiously, the italian threw Antonio's sword onto the ground. "I can't believe you!" she shrieked.

Her voice had cracked and people on the ship looked at her and the captain with puzzled faces. Antonio noticed the engraved symbol as well and nervously pulled the cuff of his sleeve down. "You little fucker!" she said. "If you would have told me any sooner, I wouldn't have tried to kill you! And...And-!" She whispered. Lovina puffed her cheeks and jabbed him in the shoulder with her finger multiple times. "I could've killed you. You could've killed me, Son of a bitch." She said even softer, but with obvious fury. She looked at him. He knew that she was downright pissed at the moment.

"You see, that's what I was trying to tell you earlier-"

"Well, make it more explicit! I wouldn't have known what you were trying to say. Nobody would!"

"Lo siento-"

"No se disculpe a mí." She said.

"You speak Spanish?"

"So what?"

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"Why didn't you tell me of... of the THING earlier! Bastard!" Lovina huffed, snatching her sword from the captain and shoving her way past crowds of men. She brought down her sword on the ropes that held her friends. "If i'm going to stay on this half assed boat, then to ropes, no tying, no chain, none of that crap." She said. Looking around at the people on deck, Lovina noticed that she had gotten a lot of blank stares. "Well? What are you waiting for! This ship isn't going to steer itself sweetie, and this place isn't exactly clean. Get to work!"

Hera rubbed her wrist once the ropes were cut, watching as Lovina ordered the crewmates around while Antonio looked dumbfounded at the Italian. She sighed. This was one of those times where she wanted to take a nice nap. But here, on a boat filled with the most vile creatures on earth- Men, She didn't feel like it'd be the appropriate time. Hera yawned and turned to Elizabeth. "What was all that about?" She asked calmly, stretching her arms upwards and sitting on a chest.

"I've no idea, dear. But soon enough, I'll find out. I always do." She assured her ever so tired friend. Elizabeth picked up her skirts as bit and headed to the spot where Lovina once was. Elizabeth then turned to the Spaniard, looking him up and down with discontent. "What the bloody hell did you do?" she whispered, waiting by his side and watching as Lovina stormed her way back up the wooden stairs and into the room that she had been in earlier. Antonio blinked a few times, turning his head and scratching it sheepishly. he opened his mouth to speak, but shut it when Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at him. Elizabeth just scoffed, stalking away towards Alfred with a hand on her hip. The busy crew mates shuffled their way around and about. Gilbert and Francis shouted orders from the other side of the ship, noting as people did as they were told. Antonio sighed, turning and making his way calmly towards the captain's cabin.

Inside, he saw a certain red faced Italian, rummaging through a case that was hers. She looked up once, huffed, then continued to shuffle things around. "Um, so, yeah. that's what I wanted to tell you." he said. Lovina pulled out a shiny, dark brown violin and pulled the string. She cringed at the horrible sound it made. Lovina stopped to look at him seriously.

"Well, I know that that isn't a goddamn fake. My dad pulled a thread trough the cross on the crest." She said, setting the violin on the bed and snatching his wrist. She ran her thumb up and down the little marks and bumps. "The crest of our family is very complicated." She sighed. "My father made sure that everything was perfect about it." She looked at the purple-pink indents on his flesh. Lovina had the Vargas crest as well. But it was hidden at all times. Lovina never let anyone see it. Never. "It's painful..." She mumbled, running her thumb over it once more.

_"I'm sorry. This is the last time that I will see you, __la mia figlia. Remember what I told you about your crest. It is something that you should never let anyone see. I know it hurts, I know. But please understand that whatever you do, you are always a Vargas." He said, pulling an old piece of thread through the skin on her side. She nodded, painfully watching as blood dripped downwards. "Sono molto fiero di voi. You have been a great part of our family. And you are the one who shall carry down our blood. Your husband has the crest as well. I am going to meet him and his father today. You are very young, my girl. So please, don't be scared. I will make sure that your husband is very kind to you. Do not be tricked my anyone else. The one with the crest is your husband. Caspisce?"_

_"Si. I promise to not be tricked. __Renderò la nostra famiglia fiera."_

Lovina took quick glances anywhere else around the room and finally looked up at him. She had her sharp, golden eyes back, but was still upset. "I don't like you, just to let you know. Even though i'm "married" to you, I don't like you."

"I wasn't expecting you to." he mumbled back. Antonio's calm, green eyes glanced back at the closed door. His more immature crew members where probably giggling and gossiping like girls about what was going on. Antonio sighed. A small drizzle of blood started to seep from the cross on the crest. Lovina raised her eyebrows. She wiped it away and looked around for something.

"Idiot, keep it covered. You know that it bleeds often, don't you?" She muttered, moving things around in her case once again. She kept her thumb n it. Antonio looked at her confused. She was acting awfully kind to him. It was as if they had known each other before. Lovina looked around continuously, wincing at the sight of the small bubble of blood on Antonio's wrist. "Does this happen everyday?" She asked, digging through, still searching for some kind of cloth. Antonio nodded and watched her carefully. Amazed. "Well, learn that if it bleeds everyday, then you nee to cover it, bastard." She said again, tightly wrapping a gray cloth around his wrist. "I-I mean- Just look at the cuffs of your shirt. Stained and nasty looking. Take care of yourself. I won't do it for you." She finished, crunching her face a little bit and tying a perfect knot. She fixed his sleeve back over the bandage. Anotnio blinked at her as she looked up. "Wh-What?" She asked, face turning red.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just that... ah, no es nada..."

"No seriously, what. Che cosa avete voluto dire?" She said, suddenly feeling nervous and awkward. Lovina leaned backwards a bit, folding her hands nervously on her lap. Antonio tilted his head.

"I'm sorry...? I don't speak Italian, so...Sorry." He mumbled.

"You'll catch on." lovina assured. "I asked what were you going to say. I still wanted to hear it. My mother always said that if you start to speak, then you must finish." Lovina said sadly. The memories of her death resonated around her mind, shocking her with plain images of a woman drenched in blood. "A-Anyways, As you were saying?" She said, wanting to shake off the sudden flashbacks.

" Okay then." Antonio mumbled back, taking his gloves off and setting them on the desk. "What I meant to say is that I didn't expect you to understand that easily. I'm actually quite surprised. You know. It's not every day where you get told unexpected news. Or receive them, for that matter. Lo siento, I know it's silly."

"No, it's not silly at all. But I've been taught to know when I should have to give in to something. It's not like I can lie to myself about this. Besides. I made a promise, and once you learn to understand me, You know that I don't break promises."

"All right then." Antonio said, sitting up and looking strait into her golden eyes. "I, Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo, promise to protect you as my wife until the day I die." He said. Lovina looked at him, blushing. Her eyes were widened and overcome with a beautiful haze of green. To her, It was the little fairytale promise that her Mother had always told her about.

"U-Uh..." She fumbled. "And I promise to understand whatever you do because I'm your...er, wife." She struggled to say. She just met this guy. But she was already feeling warmer than her cold self, alone. Antonio broke out into a smile, leaning and getting his guitar. He held up a finger at her, telling her to wait a moment. His eyes shone brightly, reaching his way past the strings and pulling out a little round object. Lovina put her hand on her mouth.

"Ta-da!" He smiled,putting the object on his palm and holding it out to her. It was silver and round with a glimmering circle and teardrop on it. The circle was branded with a crest while the teardrop was a fine emerald. It was her mother's ring. "I believe that this...Is yours now."

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><p>I hope you liked it! Leave a review if you please, because I really do love my reviewers, and I will reply to them if you have a question about something. thanks~ ; )<p> 


	5. Past Hidden Secrets

I love you loyal readers. ;u; Er- You're loyal...aren't you? Well, I know that procrastination has lead me to upload this late. :'D And in my defense, this chapter was so freaking long, I had to split it into two parts. Mmhmm... Well, I hope that you enjoy what this chapter has in store. You'll be able to see where I will develop the characters. There are A LOT of flashbacks, and they are differentiated by the Italics. C: -Shit, but remember, Italics can be used for Lovina's thoughts and stuff...- I'm so confusing. I'm sorry.

Happy Reading!~

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><p>The Spaniard smiled and left the room after handing her the precious item. He left the flustered Italian there. Thinking. Wondering. Why did he know about her mother's ring? And why did he even have it in the first place? It wasn't something that their family shared. In fact, their jewelry were mostly kept private because of their special value. Lovina grumbled, blinking in awe at what just happened. Her mother was very protective of this ring. Ever since Lovina was young, she always knew to never mess with the ring. Her fingers ran over its smooth surface. It hardly ever looked like it had been touched. After all, Antonio had hidden it in the first place. Lovina's eyes half lidded. Her mouth curved into an easy smile.<p>

_The eight year old girl brushed her hair in quick, striking strokes. Her heart beat fast, making her golden eyes sparkle with anticipation. In all of her years, she'd get to meet the mystery person that she had heard so many stories about. The woman who made her think twice about her life on the seas. But she was young. She didn't really know any better than to smile, give a slight bow to the elders, and shake hands. She was only taught the way of survival. And since it was time to switch her life all over again, it'd be difficult to manage. The woman would be waiting on the shores with another girl who she'd be dedicated to protecting. Her twin sister. Lovina sighed. She was the oldest sister. The one meant to watch over and protect the precious gem of a younger girl. Her role was the protector and the inheritor. Nothing more than that. Nothing more than an extra daughter. The person with the girl on the shore would have her arm around the small girl, smiling. Lovina's mystery person. The person whose name had been repeated over and over again by her father. "Rosabella. Rosabella." He always sang about. He always told stories about her golden eyes and her long, glistening hair. _

_Her mother._

_Lovina twisted her body around, giving sneers to the crew mates as she always had. She never really was a girly person. She was a bit of a tomboy from spending her time with all the tough brutes on the ocean. The sweet Mediterranean air teased her hair and brought back the scents of her mother. It smelled like roses and vanilla. The Italian could close her eyes and picture her mother's sweet, honey like eyes. Filled with kindness. Filled with the love that Lovina never received. It was a switch off. The Eldest daughter lived on the sea for eight years. Then went back home to act out the other, more noble, side of the Vargas Family. Lovina closed her eyes again, anticipating the look that her mother would give her. A look of pride and cherish for her daughter. Her mother would open her mouth and sing her sweet lullaby to her again, as she had did when Lovina was just a tiny baby. A simple song that fit perfectly with her voice. _

_Lovina's father looked at her, smiling, a look of acceptance. "Lovina Vargas. You had better learn a lot from your mother, okay?" He asked, grinning with all of his features. With his warm, hazel-brown eyes. Lovina nodded her small head up and down, ruffling the long, messy curls that hid her tiny shoulders. Lovina shuffled in her boots with eagerness._

"_I'll be sure to, Father! I promise!" She said, looking out the side of the boat as it slowly stopped. Without hesitation, she took her father's hand and unsuspectingly dragged him off of the boat. The crew cried out after her, saying 'Goodbye!' and 'Do well, Lovina!' The very excited italian girl glanced over her shoulder, giving a great big smile. The smile she only brought out on special occasions. _

_Lovina and her father, whose name was Benedetto, clicked their way onto the dock. Lovina straightened her dress, wanting to look somewhat acceptable. Right across, she saw a beautiful woman. This woman had the most fair of features and the most cleanest figure that she had ever seen. Her lips were soft and lightly shaded pink, curved upward in a kind smile. On her hand was a brilliant green teardrop. Lovina tilted her head at the beautiful figure in front of her. The most lovely of all people that she had ever seen. Surely, Lovina wouldn't be her daughter. She couldn't be. A small head peeked out from behind the lady's skirts, eyes wide with curiosity. Lovina smiled at the small girl, earning a squeak and a smile from her. The other girl hid her blushing face behind her mother's skirt again, giving a meek wave. Benedetto looked down at Lovina, then looked forward towards his wife and his other daughter. "Well, lovina? Go say hi to your mother." He smiled. Lovina looked up at him with gleaming golden eyes. She nodded excitedly and walked forward. Her face was plastered with a blush and a smile as the woman began to kneel down and open her arms. Lovina slammed into the other woman, face beaming with happiness. The only time in her life where she felt true happiness. Tears started to trickle down her face as the lady put her arms all the way around Lovina. The two held each other closely, not even threatening to let go. Lovina closed her eyes. There it was again. Roses and vanilla. _

_Rosabella chuckled, pulling back a bit, looking at her daughter with admirable honey eyes. Her nimble fingers strayed up to brush away Lovina's stray curls. "Lovina. La mia principessa..." she sweetly sang to the girl. Benedetto watched this exchange with a proud smile. "My princess..." She hummed. The smallest Italian girl who was off to the side watched as Benedetto walked closer. He put a large hand on her head and gave it a quick ruffle. The girl, whose name was Feliciana, giggled, putting his arms around the big Italian. _

_Rosabella looked up, watching Feliciana with amused amber eyes. "Remember to behave, okay Feliciana? I want you to act like a lady around people you don't know. Si?" She asked, still holding onto Lovina. Feliciana smiled and nodded wildly. She didn't have a problem leaving her mother because it never occurred to her that Mothers could ever get hurt. Lovina felt the same way about her Pirate father. Rosabella stood up, kissed Benedetto on the lips and whispered something in his ear to make him laugh. She smiled at him and picked up Lovina, holding her as if she were a child. Lovina, for once, didn't make any snide remarks, and just wrapped her arms loosely around Rosabella's neck. "Ciao, Feliciana. I'll be waiting for your smile when you return!" Rosabella called as she watched the other two members of her family walk back onto the boat._

_Lovina looked at Feliciana's smile and felt warm. That was her sister. Part of the heart that they shared. She raised her arm and started to wave. "Ciao, Feliciana! I can't wait to play when you get back!" She smiled. Benedetto's laugh could be heard from the end of the dock. Rosabella chuckled as well. _

_Feliciana tilted her head and waved. "Ciao Mama! Ciao Lovi! That's a great idea!" _

_Lovina blushed. That was the first time that anyone had ever called her by a nickname like that._

Lovina leaned on the rail of the boat. She had eventually relocated herself outside to where it wasn't stuffy, and she could feel the nicer, warm air of the afternoon. The Italian heard all of the snickering behind her, and just sneered at them. Just as she did to her own crewmates. Bringing back the hard memories of all of her family on board. All slaughtered with one sword. Lovina bit her lip nervously, hiding her cry of anguish. The memories were so great. So malevolent in her mind, viscous to drive her to anger. Lovina shook her head. "Think about mother..." She tried to tell herself. To rid the scary images from her head. The warm sun made her eyes hid behind dark eyelashes. "My mom..."

"_You're so sweet, Lovina. La mia principessa." Rosabella smiled, putting a hand on her daughter's head. Her large skirt tickled Lovina's side. The Italian woman held out her hand towards Lovina, taking the little gift given to her. A pretty, white rose. She looked at her daughter's beaming. "Where did you get this beautiful rose, my dear?" She asked, with a soft smile. Lovina pointed on the other side of the field, past the fence. Rosabella turned back towards Lovina, leaning downwards to her. "Was this on the neighbor's lawn?" Lovina nodded. Rosabella sighed, keeping her calm smile. "Can you bring one of our flowers over to them please?" Lovina tilted her head. "It's not nice to take things that aren't yours. And if you do, then you have to give something back and apologize. Si? Do you understand, cara?" Rosabella asked. Lovina nodded, understanding._

Lovina put her palms on the new, wooden rail. She breathed in and out in two long drawn breaths, shivering as she did so. Even though the sun was so warm and the air was clean, she felt cold and uninhabited. The rest of the boat was noisy, with Hera and Elizabeth trying their best to stay away from the profanities of the male pirates. "Damn pirates..." Lovina huffed, gazing out onto the deep blue water. Her temper was starting to back off, leaving her to feel abandoned by her family. They were all dead. Every single last one of them. Brutal images flew around the Italian's mind. She put her hands over her eyes and shook her head. All of the blood, all of the tears, all of the regret smashed back into her, something she wanted to forget. But since she was placed on a ship, she began to feel it again. Lovina shuddered. She didn't like it.

Hera watched Lovina from the other side of the ship. She raised an eyebrow and read the little movements that her music instructor did. "Elizabeth. Something is...wrong with Lovina..." She said softly, quietly so that only the two could hear. Elizabeth nodded, looking carefully in Lovina's direction. The Italian mumbled something, got up, and walked to the opposite end of the ship, furthest away from anyone. Hera watched, slightly amused. "Maybe she is feeling...nostalgia."

Elizabeth tilted her head, muttering something. "Well, It's been a long time since she's been anywhere near a ship. I guess it's just strange for her." The English lady concluded with a nod. She looked off in the direction of warm blue eyes, and broke her gaze away when the owner of those blue eyes smiled back. "I guess I'm feeling nostalgic as well. You never know the people who you meet on journeys. Isn't that right, Hera?"

The Greek nodded. "Though I'm more fascinated with this pocket watch of yours. Very lovely. Who gave it to you? Blue eyes? I expect so." She said with a yawn, not caring about Elizabeth's protest and flustered face. "Calm down, Kirkland, your face is turning red." Hera lazily laughed, handing the watch back to Elizabeth.

"Bloody fingers, always find something to thieve upon. Hera." Elizabeth huffed, shoving the watch back into her pocket and rearranging her glasses again.

"If you don't call him over here, I will do it for you." Hera said, standing up slowly.

"Wh-What? Who? What are you talking about? Hera. H-Hera, what are you doing?" Elizabeth flailed about, watching as the tired Greek looked over the the blonde man.

"Well, You're not doing it yourself, and I sense some kind of background story to this... I'll find out. You know that I will." Hera yawned, leaning on the rail of the boat. "You're a very confined woman, Miss Kirkland. But there is something that will make you crack."

Elizabeth nervously cleaned off her glasses. "Be quiet. There isn't anything that would make you view me differently as a person. I don't hide devastating secrets like that. It's not what I aim to do."

"Well, yes. But it's the minor secrets that I'm scared of. It's strange... hm. Blue eyes sure seems to like the way you are, though. He looks over every so often. But you look back anyways, so I guess It's not much of an issue." Hera continued to taunt with an emotionless face. She looked at the waves, casually continuing to ignore the flustered English lady.

"It's not anything you should be concerned with, Hera." Elizabeth concluded with a huff, turning away so that Hera couldn't find an excuse to make fun of her red face. "We've all got that shadow in our past. This one just seemed to be closer than the rest." She nodded. Hera sighed, looking at her friend.

"That's...fine with me. I don't really care for your past story...no offense."

"None taken." Elizabeth answered. "Let's just...not speak about this anymore. Deal?"

"Okay." Hera whispered, pulling herself into another yawn. "Whatever you want."

Lovina slightly leaned over the railing, watching the waves rush by and crash against the side of the boat. She wasn't a prisoner. But she didn't willingly set foot on the ship. The Italian sighed, standing up straight and closing her eyes. "Damn pirates. I didn't want to get into this again."

"What was that?"

Lovina's eyes shot open, she let out a squeak, nearly stepping back and hitting her hip on the rail. "What the fuck!" she said, startled, and red. "Don't just...randomly appear! Bastard!" Lovina blinked, putting a hand on her chest. _'You remind me of my father when you do that, dammit...Don't do that!' _Lovina breathed in sharply, letting out that breath in an angry grumble. "Are you trying to give me a fucking heart attack!"

Antonio laughed, stepping back to give her more room. "Um, no. Sorry~" He said, stepping next to her, and leaning on the rail as well.

"I hope your damn hat falls into the ocean." Lovina huffed, leaning back on the rail. The wind brushed her hair back, revealing her sleepless and tired features. Today was a pretty dramatic day. It wasn't exactly going all too well either. The Captain smiled, closing his eyes and inhaling slowly. Lovina tilted her head, noticing how content he was. How at peace he seemed. She blinked a few times, turning to face the ocean. The blue, rippling waves crossed over and about each other, giving a spray into the air. Lovina liked it a lot...But not when she hadn't felt it in such a long time.

"Ah. So...I just wanted to say..." Antonio started, cautiously avoiding the Italian's gaze. Lovina noticed his uncomfortableness, and shifted away from him, far enough so that her skirt wasn't touching him. She looked off to the side, sighing, and avoiding his eyes as well. "I'm not a mean person. At least, I don't think I am. So I'm sorry that I practically forced you onto the ship." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Lo siento." He said, leaning back on the rail again. Lovina kept her gaze focused on the waves, not wanting to say anything. _'Idiot, you dragged me onto here, against my will. I don't like this at all. And I especially don't like how you're my...husband. Ugh, I can't even think of it.' _Lovina vented in her mind, glaring at the ocean like it was all its fault to begin with. "It's just...You know, searching for so long. It's kind of something I can't give up on. I tried to find my parents after they went missing-" He threw his hands up. "Gone. Failed. Tried to look for something that they could've left behind. Bam. That's gone too. Never to be found. But I don't know..." He said, relaxing his muscles and smiling into the ocean. "I had some hope to find you. And I certainly did." Lovina raised an eyebrow, still not turning to face him.

"You know, we had met before. Er- before all of... this happened. You were very small, maybe seven years old. I was ten." He chuckled, stretching. "Our fathers were talking about some agreement. And that led to our betrothal, I guess. But I remember you sitting there, glaring at me, and crossing your arms. You pouted and said 'Don't you dare think of getting near me.'" Antonio said, continuing to bask in the simple memory. Lovina felt her head lower, and her lips curl up into a small smile. She remembered it as well. "And I said 'I won't. I promise.' And you stuck your tongue at me. Mmhmm. I remember it." He said. "We got into this whole... marriage thing because of something that our parents did. And if you want to get out of it, I totally understand..." he said, this time a little bit softer. "Personally, I think you a very charming person, and I'd want to get to know you better. And I think that I could provide you more protection from other pirates." He said. Lovina bit the inside of her lip. "They're silly pirates. They only want the sword, and you know that. I for one, completely and honestly, could care less about that thing."

Lovina gasped silently, her face contorting into confusion. She lifted her head, turning to face him. "I've followed what you've been saying...I'm paying attention." She said, unconsciously letting a hand drift to the sword. "...You don't want the sword? You don't care for it at all?" she asked, shocked. Lovina came to a sudden realization and scoffed. "Liar. No one has ever not cared about it." She sadly looked at him. "You're no different. You want it too."

Antonio turned towards her with a concerned look. "What? Lovina, I'm telling the truth. I have no use for the sword. I don't value it. I don't need it. Really, all I need to keep myself going is position on the ranks and-"

"Oh, so that's why you need me." Lovina interrupted. "I've seen this plan before. Capture a Vargas, immediately claim the seas. Well, let me just tell you." she said, poking him in the shoulder. "It has never worked. And I will uphold that."

"What? Capture a Var- Capture you? Who the heck said that? I'm just saying that I need other pirates to know that I'm not going to give up anything for them. You're a logical person." he said, chuckling nervously. "Stubborn as well." Lovina tilted her head.

"_You're quite feisty. Stubborn as well." Benedetto smiled, patting his daughter on the top of her head. "You remind me just like your mother." he said, before turning back to the crew. Lovina tilted her head, utterly confused. Like her mother? As far as she was concerned, her mother was one of the sweetest people on earth. How could her father classify her mother as feisty and stubborn? That didn't describe her at all! Lovina scrunched up her face and tugged on the back of Benedetto's coat. He turned back to face his daughter again. "What is it, bambina?" he asked, looking at her intently._

"_Mom isn't feisty or stubborn. I think you might just be getting it wrong." Lovina said. Benedetto wholeheartedly laughed._

"_Then you've never seen her when she's angry!"_

Lovina bit her lip, looking downwards. "When she's angry..." She whispered, tapping her fingers against the crisp wood of the boat.

"...Eh? What was that?" Antonio asked, bending his head to try to look at her face. "I can't see your eyes if your head is down."

"_Come on, Vargas! I know you're crying! Lift up your head!" The men screeched at Lovina. She covered her ears with her numb fingers, and stared wide eyed at the floor, which was covered in blood. Her boots were stained with the red substance, making marks on something she thought so proudly of. "Don't you want to see your mother? I'm sure she'd want to see your face one last time!" They laughed, cackling their smoky voices and coughing out spit. Lovina felt tears run down her face. They had her mother. They had her, and they weren't going to let her go. She sobbed, choking on them as the whimpers escaped her mouth. She was older now. She was old enough to understand what was going on. Why was she crying. Lovina gripped hard onto the frills of her dress. The sword. She still had it. She had to get rid of it before they found it. She heard a familiar cry of pain from the woman across from her, as one of the men drew a knife along her forearm. Lovina still didn't look up. She didn't want to look up._

_Lovina opened her mouth just a little bit, whispering "Mama...I don't know what to do..." _

_Rosabella winced, watching the glint of the knife dig deeper into her once porcelain skin. Now, it was tinted red with blood. She heard her daughter cry, and started to cry herself. "It's okay, bambina. It's fine. Your papa's going to be here soon, and he's going to take these mean men away, okay?" She said through clenched teeth. Her heart split in two, having to watch her daughter tremble in fright. One of the men stepped closer to Lovina. Lovina noticed, cowering back onto the floor. Rosabella's face pulled back, almost into a snarl. "Don't you set a damn hand on her!" She hissed. "I'll have your goddamn head in my hands, and strew apart your eyes!" Rosabella threatened. Though it was out of character for such a sweet woman to do so, Rosabella could turn deadly when her family was at risk. The men laughed. The man closest to Lovina shoved the young Italian on the shoulder, forcing her forward. Rosabella's eyes flashed. She growled, and struggled against the ropes that tied her hands. She thrashed, and caught the rope on one of the men's shoe. With that, she pulled it forward harshly, sending the man to fall backwards, who dragged another man with him. _

_Lovina looked up from her position on the floor. She saw her bloody mother, standing up slowly while men started to circle her. "M-Mama!" She cried out, scrambling to stand up. Her mom still had her ropes. What could her mother do if she was tied up! Lovina picked up the sword, which was more than half her size, and unsheathed it, glaring at the peoples' backs. "G-Get away from my mother!" She said. _

_Rosabella was too busy shouting profanities at the men to notice her child. Right until someone reached back and smacked her daughter on the face. That sent Rosabella into an obvious rage._

_And mothers who are raging generally don't give a damn if they kill someone in the process._

"_You FUCKER. GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" She shouted, striking the men as hard as she could with her heels. She turned sharply towards Lovina, and her voice instantly turned silky smooth. "Cut the rope for me, bambina~ And you can watch as Mama beats the crap out of these silly men, si?"_

_Lovina's eyes widened. She slowly nodded, and cut the ropes. "I'm going to borrow your sword, okay, Sweetie?" Rosabella smiled sweetly, and sang with her velvety smooth voice. Lovina handed her the sword. Rosabella winked and immediately changed her attitude when she saw the men's faces. She went from being an Angelic being to being the mens' worst nightmares. She saw as her mother kicked, scratched, and cut the living hell out of the men, until they shriveled up on the floor, dead. Afterwards, she turned sweetly over to her daughter, and bent down, holding her close. "...My princess...Let's get out of here right now." She said, picking up her daughter. Rosabella purposely kicked a man as she walked out of the alley. She rubbed the blood off her hands and shuffled Lovina onto her hip. "Now, if anyone asks you anything, say that Mama got hurt, and that she can't speak." She smirked. "Then they can't ask anymore questions." _

_Lovina sniffled, looking over her mother's shoulder as she was being rushed off. Her eyes widened. "Mama...Mama, there are more of them!" She shrieked. _

"_God dammit..." Rosabella hissed. Her arm dripped blood onto the floor. She inhaled sharply, breathing out shakily. She looked up into the distance and saw familiar faces racing towards her. She painfully let a tear slide down her cheek. "Your papa is coming. I want you to run to him as fast as you can...Don't look back." She whispered , kissing Lovina on the head. She set her daughter on the floor. Lovina looked up and tilted her head. It looked like an angel was smiling down at her...with tears in her beautiful eyes. "I love you, princess...Go to papa, and I'll see you soon." She said. _

Lovina blinked, gripping onto her skirt until her knuckles were white. She tried to blink away the memories. She tried to dream of a time where her family was here. All with her. All around her. All still with her... They all loved her. She felt the familiar feeling of a tear slide grudgingly down her cheek. She opened her mouth to speak, but only found that her throat constricted. Lovina sniffled, looking downwards. Not ashamed of the water in her eyes. She wanted them all back with her. She was lonely. She had nobody. Nobody loved her. They were all gone; her parents were dead, her sister was dead, her crew was dead. Nobody remained for her to keep to herself. She was alone. They abandoned her on the Earth, leaving her so they could live in heaven peacefully. Lovina coughed, fully accepting that she was sobbing harshly now, glaring at the floor in deep agony.

_Lovina remembered being pulled back by one of the crew people who was ordered to protect her. She remembered being called back, and struggling as much as she could. She watched one by one, as her crew dropped dead. The person holding her close gasped, eventually turning on his heel and running in the opposite direction from order of her father. Lovina blinked her large eyes, feeling them water as her mother turned to her one last time. Rosabella had tears in her eyes and blood dripping from her mouth. She still smiled and opened her mouth to say one last sentence to Lovina. The young Italian remembered it clearly. Her voice was as easy to spot as a trumpet in a library. "I love you, my princess." And with that, Lovina watched as a glimmering blade passed through her mother's neck._

Lovina shivered, standing completely still and crying at the floor. "G-Goddammit..." She choked out,sinking to the floor and proceeding to hug her knees for comfort. She cried out in pain, remembering the situation she was in. Alone. She was so afraid of being alone. Lovina hid her face in her skirts, continuing to shake and cry. "They've all left me..." She mumbled, sniffling. _'They've all left me alone here! How could they leave me! I have nobody left! I have nothing!' _Lovina shook. _'This pirate is eventually going to leave me as well. Why even dare to become fucking attached. He's going to leave me like the others did!' _Lovina coughed through her tears, nearly drowning in self pity. "Fucking boat! I don't want to be here!" she said, thinking of how she had gained her sudden nostalgia from stepping onto the ship. Lovina shook her head, knowing that she was probably a complete wreck. _'I was too much of a wimp to kill myself...I was too much of a coward to join them. I...I... I-'_

A pair of arms wrapped boldly around Lovina, holding her closely. Lovina squeezed her eyes shut. Antonio breathed in and out calmly, holding the emotional Italian close to his chest. "Lovina..." He mumbled, softly stroking her back to calm her down from her vulnerable state. Lovina breathed in shakily and sobbed further into his chest. She let out a string of curse words. Antonio sighed, sitting on the floor next to her. Lovina let herself be taken care of for once. She didn't fight back to his actions. She just needed comfort. From all of her dangerous nightmares and false accusations of the past. She needed to forget anything that involved blood. And that was a lot to forget. She shivered, almost reluctantly putting her arms around him as well. Antonio was shocked at her action, but continued doing what he was doing. "I'm sorry..." was all that the usually happy man could muster out. He tilted his head onto hers. Surely, she didn't mind. Lovina leaned onto him, trying to pace her breathing so that it could even itself out to normal. "Not everyone has left you, Lovina. The future for you is bright. You must follow the brightness to your peace." he whispered knowingly into her hair. He felt her slowly calm down. There was the sound of her sniffles that were muffled by him.

'_I'm weak. So weak. God dammit! I can't do anything right... why did they all have to leave...'_

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><p><em><em>So we've found out that Lovina is really really lonely. ;n; Well- That's important. e_e Very. Important. Anyways, I hope that you had a somewhat easy time navigating around this chapter. If you liked the format, tell me in a review. If you /didn't/ like it, tell me how you'd like me to present it. There will be a lot more flashbacks in upcoming chapters. -Part Two of 'Past Hidden Secrets' Isn't done yet. :'D *procrastinator* -


	6. II Past Hidden Secrets

**THIS IS SO MEGA LATE, ISN'T IT. I'm sorry. ;n; Good news is that I've graduated, and now that it's summer, I'll be able to upload more frequently! Thank you to everyone who Favorited this, or put it on their Alert. It's super cool~ C: Enjoy!**

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><p>The brown haired lady broke down, shuddering into the warm embrace. Her eyes were squeezed shut. She didn't want to see. She didn't want to see anything. She didn't want to feel anything. All she could feel was the pain and loneliness left for her from her family. The captain's strange compassion overwhelmed her as well. She would never expect anyone to be so kind to her. She was just a figure on his shelf. And unwanted burden that took up all of the space. Isn't that right. "B-Bastard...let go of me. " She insisted through her mild sniffling. "Let go of me. You don't need to hold me." She said, pulling back to lean against the side of the boat. Her shaking hands covered her face. She pulled her knees close and lay her head down on her knees. She streaked out curse words again, followed by aimless sentences of Italian. She shivered as a warm hand was placed on her back.<p>

"You'll be fine... I promise. I promise to protect you forever. I won't ever leave you. I won't leave you." Antonio assured her, making small circles on her back.

"I don't need your sympathy, damn pirate. I don't need it at all." She mumbled through her hands. She tensed. Lovina didn't want to seem so... helpless. She didn't want to seem like she didn't know how to live her life the way she wanted it to be. She didn't want to be alone anymore. The Italian rubbed her eyes one more time, and shoved Antonio away from her. "I don't need your sympathy." She repeated, standing up with clenched fists. "I can do this by myself."

_"I can do this by myself! Who said I even needed you! Because I don't! Fuck off." Came the voice of a shattering girl. "Whatever "contract" you had with the Vargas's is now burned. Dead to me and my father. Leave me and my family alone." The girl growled, shoving the man to the floor. She glared down at him with an icy glare. Her words came out in separated hisses. The man looked at her with a smirk._

_"Wow. A Vargas who stands up for herself. That's a first." He snickered. "I remember that one battle. On land. Oh how weak you all were. And it was so much fun watching your face as your mother-"_

_"Don't you say a GODDAMN thing about that woman!" Lovina screamed. People's heads turned. The girl only felt the pure rage in her veins. The fright of reliving the memory of a great woman's death. "She was more than anything that you're worth!" _

_"She was weak!" The man spat. Blood jumped from his mouth and stained Lovina's skirt. _

_"She was my mother." Lovina whispered, feeling tears sting at the corner of her eyes. With ease, she passed her shining sword through her captive's torso. After she heard his final gasp, she wiped the blade on his coat and sheathed it. _

_"Miss Vargas..." A crewmember mumbled. He walked closer to her. "Is there anything-"_

_"Get rid of that man. And leave me. I don't want to deal with anything right now." She said, keeping her gaze on the floor. Her chocolate brown hair shielded her face from anybody who wanted to watch. It hung in waves around her eyes, and blocked her emotions clearly. The man nodded, and quickly got to work. Lovina shivered and stomped to the far end of the boat, where no one would disturb her._

_Where no one would remind of the pain she felt on that dreadful day._

Lovino looked to the floor, expecting to be shielded from the harsh realities of the world. She sadly took one glance at the ocean, then back down. The chain shifted. She held onto it, fumbling at the very loose collar. The sword didn't hurt her at all. It was the memory and the dread. The death that clung to it. It haunted her.

Antonio blinked up with very confused and concerned warm, green eyes. He stood up slowly and tilted his head at her. "You don't have to be so... Independent all the time." Antonio input, biting the side of his cheek. "I... I guess it's not in my right to speak, but I don't..." He thought about the right word to say. "You don't need to be so brave. It's okay to be scared." Antonio said sternly. It made Lovina's face contort into a confused expression.

"No. It's really not. You wouldn't understand at all." She mumbled, hoping that he didn't hear anything she said. Lovina was furious with herself. She felt upset, mad, alone, and deteriorating from what she used to be. She grumbled in a low, hushed tone to herself in Italian. "Just get me off this damn boat, and maybe I can go back to being my normal self." She said, wiping her eyes one last time, and bringing her shoulders back, walking forward.

Antonio sighed and rubbed his face with one of his hands. "Ah Vargas. So stubborn..." He mumbled, shaking his head sadly and walking in an opposite direction. He placed his hat back on his head and looked forward sadly. '_Ah... I'm getting into her business. I should just stop now. Antonio you idiot, don't get into it... You just met her.' _He argued silently in his mind. In all reality, Antonio felt that he was a generally happy person. That he didn't deserve anything less of that. He had a great ship, an awesome crew, and people who actually liked that he was captain. And more so, he was going to be able to protect this very lovely girl... And all she really needed was someone to stay with. So what was the issue?

The captain sighed and walked slowly to the front of the boat, completely oblivious of the stares that came from the Greek lady and the English lady. The issue was simply that the past shaped things that would never ever be able to change how that spicy Italian thought about people.

Meanwhile, Lovina stayed back near the far end of the ship. She didn't want to speak to anyone that was able to breath at the moment. She leaned over the edge and stared at the fast moving water with a stubborn expression. _'They don't need to butt in... He... He could've just left me alone. Like everyone else does. I didn't need his sympathy. I don't need it... I don't-'_

"Woah, quit leaning too far over the edge there, Miss. Want to fall over or something?" Came the sarcastic, but surprisingly warm voice of Gilbert.

"Fuck off." She mumbled. "I can lean over as much as I damn want to. I don't need to take some orders from you, German bastard." She mumbled, completely tired out of arguing. "Go steer the boat or something."

Gilbert whistled. "Wow. Aren't you a nasty little nightingale." He said.

"Nightingale? What the fuck? Are you comparing me to a bird?"

He shrugged. "Just something I do. Don't take a big deal out of It. I like birds. What can I say."

"Don't imply that you like me. I hate your guts." Lovina said bitterly. She heard his low and raspy chuckle.

"I wasn't trying to. I call everyone birds. It's as simple as that. You see-" he said, clearing his throat, "We're all 'birds' in a sense." Lovina raised an eyebrow at him. "We've got the power to fly. We've got the will to live in the skies. Yet, we can be caged so simply...so easily... It doesn't take much to strip us of our flight. But one day. When we leave this very blue sky, we can continue to soar. And It's really magical. Because we leave the little feathers of our sad past behind... Do you see it now?"

The Italian was shocked. "I had no idea you were capable of such poetic qualities. But yes, I understand it now... A nightingale, huh? That's fine with me, I guess." She mumbled.

"Kesesese!" Gilbert laughed loudly. "You're just like one. It's also a secret code on this ship. Just in case we're based on secrecy. You know, we can't exactly give our names away. Alfred's Eagle. I'm Raven. Antonio's Sparrow. Francis is Hawk. You know, all those fancy kinds of birds and stuff."

"Damn. You must have learned a lot about this stuff..." Lovina muttered under her breath.

"Heh. Yeah. I'm still thinking of Hera's and Elizabeth's... I'll come up with it sooner or later. It seems like you guys will be here for a very long time." He answered, letting out a chuckle. His red eyes were lit up in amusement as Lovina huffed at the thought of staying on the ship. There was no way in hell she'd be stuck here forever. Gilbert snapped his fingers and sat up. "There we go. Elizabeth is a Robin, and Hera is a Skylark. All songbirds. That's pretty decent if I do say so myself."

"Don't boost your ego, Gilbert." Lovina groaned, turning her head away. In a way, she knew that there was probably much more potential in this guy than he let out. He seemed...smart.

"Yeah? A bit late for that." He said, getting off of the rail and walking towards the other side of the boat. "Well, I should be doing some weird pirate stuff. Not that you'd know any of that anyways, Vargas. Catch you later." He smirked, hurrying off to avoid further insult from the Italian. Lovina puffed out her cheeks and fumed quietly to herself in a language that only she knew.

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><p><em>"You won't be able to manage anymore, Vargas! I told you that already! Look at this place. Half dead, and still dying. It's a miracle that none of your crewmembers have just gone about and quit!" A gruff voice growled from behind the door. Lovina pressed her ear closer and closer to it, just to hear the murmurings of the two captains in the office. She bit on her lip hard, drawing blood. This conversation made her really nervous. Lately, this new captain that had been associating with her father had been acting more malevolent than before. <em>

_Lovina swallowed harshly. _

_She knew that her father was very stressed at the moment...And grieving. After all, her sister had committed suicide just three days ago. It was too much stress to put on an aging man._

_"Listen, you. I've got my own things to worry about. Right now, I don't care about whatever the hell you do as long as you leave my daughter alone. I don't want you anywhere near my princess." Lovina could hear her father speak with brisk authority. _

_There was a scuffling noise then daring silence, and Lovina knew that something was wrong. She held onto her precious sword, and with all of her courage, she burst through the door. One of the tall, muscular men was holding onto her father's wrists and head as the other Captain strangled his neck. _

_Strangled. His. Neck._

_Lovina screamed in horror. Her eyes widened before they narrowed into murderous slits. "GET OFF OF MY FATHER!" She yelled, her voice cracking. She could hear scurrying sounds of people's feet on the deck below. With great force, she launched herself at the man. She saw her father struggle and kick against the other captain. But he was too weak from all the stress and troubles before. Some men rushed into the room. A few were on her crew, a few were on the other person's. They grabbed at Lovina's skirts, and tried to pull her off from mauling the evil captain's face off. "He's going to kill him! He's going to kill him!" She shrieked, squirming and biting hands._

_The sword in the holster on her hip seemed to weigh a ton. It wanted Lovina to kill. It wanted Lovina to murder others with the blade. Despite the reputation she worked so desperately to keep, she just couldn't handle it. A crewmember put his arms around her waist and pulled her away from the room of blood and death. Her eyes blazed in rage. She scrambled against the large arms and growled like an animal. "Let me go! Let me go this moment! I'll shred his heart out!" She voiced, snarling in her dead father's direction. _

_She was pulled out of the room with a force that was great enough to crush her lungs. Lovina inhaled sharply, and looked at the person who was holding her. "Hurry! We're not far from the beach. Just get there if you can! At least it gives you a chance!" A boy told her. "If you don't leave now, then my Captain will kill you! Please!" He said again. The boy, no older than her age, had a scar running down his eye, and sandy blonde hair. "Hurry, Vargas! Go! He's going to kill you!" _

_Lovina looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. "Who the hell are you?"_

_The boy glanced over his shoulder nervously. "My name is Stephen. I was kidnapped." he looked out over the ocean and saw that the pier was just about one hundred feet away from the boat. He groaned. "Hurry!" He urged. "I'll see you someday, but that's only if you live. Get the hell out of here!" _

_Lovina felt that she could trust this guy. She took off her shoes, jewelry, and everything besides her underclothing. Her face was red, but the bloodbath that took place before her eyes scared her even more so. Lovina nodded to Stephen with a look of gratitude, and dove over the side of the boat. Her vision filled with the stinging blue sights of the sea. She rose to the surface with ease, and heard people shouting continuously "WHERE'D SHE GO. WHERE'S THE BRAT."_

_"U-Uh, She went up to the birdsnest to hide!" Stephen lied. Lovina let out a sigh of relief and swam with all her might towards the pier. With one final look at the ship she used to call home, she saw that her father's flag had been replaced with an abnormal flag. That other captains flag. Salt water filled her lungs as a large wave overtook her. But it was her duty to avenge her father and her mother. And her sister as well! _

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><p>"I can't take this. I can't take any of this. I should have died that day." She told herself repeatedly. All of the pain that she felt had began to dissolve. Instead, it lead to a feeling of hatred. A feeling of hate and disgust for people. Lovina hated this feeling of bloodlust, but sometimes it was necessary for her to even decide to breathe. This was the reason she lived. The whole reason her heart continued to beat.<p>

No matter how slow it seemed to be.

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><p><strong>I hope you liked this chapter! Leave me a Review, because reviews are awesome. xD <strong>


	7. Past Silent Coves

**This is woah- a couple months late. But anyways, it's here! Please enjoy!**

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><p>The Italian's breath hitched in her throat. After all this time- after all those horrible memories! How could she still be living? Wasn't a Captain supposed to go down with her ship? Why was she breathing? Why did she meet this strange, new Captain, and why was she compelled to trust him? Maybe it was because of all the years of her not being able to trust anyone, she found someone who she could confide in. Lovina shook her head and wiped her face. <em>'An appearance such as this is unacceptable. It's weak. I thought I was taught not to show emotion... It must be this ship. God damn boat. Once we dock, then I'm definitely out of here.<em>' She thought hastily. The squeaky floors, the rush of the wind, and the scent of the ocean all reminded her of such lovely things... but devastating things as well. Lovina bit her bottom lip. She hadn't even checked up on her friends since she stormed away from the front of the boat. The Italian cursed herself. She was being selfish to her own emotions. How did Hera and Elizabeth feel about being kidnapped like that? She looked downwards. Was she already failing at being a leader?

Lovina managed to keep her head up, and walked back to the front of the boat. To her surprise, she saw that her friends were actually being social. "I've died already, haven't I?" she mumbled. Someone patted her on the back.

"Haha, not really! Not now."

The Italian grumbled to herself and slowly turned around. "Oh look. It's the reason for all my stress." She growled, scowling at the Captain of the ship. He looked a lot more casual now. "Where's your silly hat?" She asked, feeling a smirk tug on her lips. "Finally noticed that it made you look stupid?"

Antonio chuckled nervously and scratched his head. "Well you know, the fancy coats and stuff are only for intimidating people." He said. Lovina looked away and crossed her arms. In a softer and more sympathetic voice, the Spaniard asked "Hey. Are you feeling any better?"

Lovina's arms slackened and fell to her sides. "Why should I feel better for. After all, I was kidnapped onto a ship, I met the person who i-is practically engaged to me, and he turned out to be a total useless airhead, and I fucking hate ships. I will always hate ships."

Antonio rubbed his neck. "That's common, I guess. A lot of people on this ship have stories that are sad as well. It's what made us all, ah...connect in a way. What can I say. Bad pasts shape people out to what they become. It's strange that way." he said. Most of the crew were sitting on deck, talking to the two ladies who were sitting on barrels. "I wouldn't have met the majority of them otherwise."

Lovina was amazed, but obviously didn't admit that at all. She just huffed and watched Hera smile to something that a blonde man told her. She puffed her cheeks out. It seemed like fun, but 'fun' couldn't exactly be a classification when you're kidnapped. Antonio sighed happily next to her. Lovina grimaced, looking up to Antonio. "I don't get it. I don't get it at all."

"What don't you get."

"How you can all be so damn _happy_. How we can be enemies and immediately switch to being the 'best of friends'." She snarled. "Even though you've all probably gone to hell and back, you act as if you just became the fucking king of the world."

Antonio relaxed, his smile being replaced with a neutral expression. He looked over the deck with a sigh. "I don't have anything to worry about, right now. I've escaped everything that seemed to drag me down. Sometimes it's the guilt." He said calmly. "That I left 'real life' to make up a fantasy that could take me away from everything bad. Like this is all made up. And I know it is. I know that something bad's going to happen, and I'm going to recreate something terrible all over again. But I guess it's the... sense of belonging. For the moment at least." Lovina looked up at him as he explained. Her expression relaxed as well and almost became sympathetic. She folded her arms nervously as he continued. "Everyone on this ship has had something dramatic that they've wanted to get away from. It's the same as you, except you went in the opposite direction. You had rough seas, so you head towards land. I had rocky grounds, and escaped towards the sea. I guess that's what separated us." He said softly, so that only she could hear him speak. He looked down at her with a sudden darkness in his eyes. "Lovina, I didn't take you away from the land because of power. I took you away because if you stayed, you'd surely be dead by then, and your sword would be used against you."

Lovina narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling chills engulf herself. _'Dead?' _

"There are many people coming out to get you. Even if it's against my father's and my grandfather's whole life, I will protect you. And that is why you are on this ship. I can't save you from the bloodthirsty treasure seekers if you were on land all the time."

With that final work, he turned quickly and retreated back into his room. Lovina stood there blankly, processing it over and over again. _'I could've killed the person who was trying to save me.'_ she scolded herself. _'I'm being hot headed.' _She shook her head dismissively, and leaned on the rail again. No more were the images of blood and tears. Instead, it was replaced by green eyes, and a never ending blue sea.

_"We'll be home soon, okay?"_

_"But the water... it never ends..."_

_"I know, Lovina. But it never ends for a reason. Do you know why?"_

_"No. Tell me."_

_"Once upon a time... there was a lonely little girl. She used to sit on the beaches, and saw that there weren't any waves. Her daddy was a sailor, and he needed those waves to get back home."_

_"Okay."_

_"The little girl hadn't seen her daddy in many, many years. She almost forgot what he looked like. But she never forgot how much she wanted him to come back home. But if there were no waves, then he couldn't get back home. So she began to cry."_

_"She was crying?"_

_"Yes, Lovina. She cried for days and nights, thinking that she'd never ever see him again. The sun and the moon watched her cry on and on. People tried to cheer her up. The fishes and creatures of the sea tried to cheer her up as well. She cried for days and for nights without end. Her tears filled the ocean, and made never ending waves of waters. These waves pushed the boat her father was on, but it pushed the boat further away. The little girl didn't know this, and kept crying. Her father never made it back, because the ship sailed in the wrong direction. The waves and the sea can never end, because that little girl is still crying."_

_"Why can't she stop?"_

_"You'd cry too if you lost someone you loved dearly."_

Lovina bit her lip, recalling the story in her mind. _'Am I that crying girl?... I don't want to be.' _She sighed and fixed her skirts. She needed to change her clothes into something more comfortable soon. _'Give me a mask, and It's like I'm dressed for a masquerade.'_ She thought sarcastically. Lovina thought about finding all of her stuff, and dressing 'like a boy' for a while, loose shirt and pants. She'd probably keep on some brown leather boots, but whatever. Antonio was in the room at the moment, and she didn't want to talk to him for a while. She looked at her hand, watching how the lights caught in the crystals of the ring. The Italian clenched her fist and tightened her jaw. _'Saving me? There's nothing to save me from.'_"I should just die, maybe. And take the sword with me, instead."

As the day dragged on, orders were shouted, and dinner was eaten on deck for the night. People drank, and music was sung by her friends as if there wasn't anything wrong at all. Lovina stayed towards the back, and didn't drink. She hardly even ate. The moon gave off very little light, as it was in the shape of a crescent. Lovina numbly rested her violin on her lap, acting oblivious to the questions being asked to her. Her mind was occupied otherwise. Lovina stood up, mumbled an 'excuse me' and bowed stiffly, as she had been taught by her father to do. Everyone was too busy enjoying themselves to notice anyways. Lovina's thick eyelashes hid the amber color of her eyes as she walked to the opposite end of the boat, hearing the click of her heels create a slow paced beat. The cold wind on the sea brushed her shoulders and chilled her slightly. Lovina was too used to it anyways to care.

Her left hand held the neck of her instrument loosely, and her fingers touched the strings softly. She held the bow in her other hand with the tip pointed towards the floor. _'Look at me. I don't even know where I stand. I don't even know what's going on anymore.' _With ease, she brought the instrument up to her shoulder. The end of the violin interfered with her sword's chain, her curse. Lovina relaxed her shoulder, and tilted her head to be more comfortable. _'Father, what do you think I should do?' _She thought, staring up at the taunting crescent and gleaming stars. Her right hand ghosted up to the tuned strings and rested on them without moving. _'Please help me, okay?' _

With practiced ease, she drew in a long breath and released it as the bow moved. Her movements were slick, and her left hand glided on the strings with practiced perfection. The notes stretched out to emphasise the elegy that she played. Her eyes were closed now, her hips swaying in an arc to the very slow beat of the song. She breathed in carefully, only exhaling to calm herself down.

On the other side of the boat, the people began to quiet themselves down. The notes being played struck them all in a way. Though they were different, they felt the emotion in the song. Some took off their hats and leaned back, thinking over themselves. Some with a small smile, some with hurt in their eyes. Antonio sat down and listened, his expression relaxing as whole notes vibrated through the air and against the sound of the loosely lapping waves against the side of the boat. He sighed in relaxation and pictured her, not caring about the world, and playing a song just for herself.

Lovina extended the last note and slowly opened her eyes to the same smiling moon. She chuckled quietly to herself, and took the instrument off of her shoulder. She smiled softly. _'I know you're there. With Feliciana too. Wish me luck, please? I know mother's there as well. She'll want to know that I'm doing fine. I want to know that you're all doing fine, too.'_

"I miss you." She whispered, blinking slowly up to the stars. The brightest ones close together was her family. She always tried to see them every night, whenever she had the chance. To say good night. Lovina, diluted in sadness, didn't notice the silence from the other side of the ship. She leaned onto the rail as they began to chatter again. She stayed on the end of the ship for what seemed like a few hours. Just her and her 'family'. Being reflected on the endless sea.

Antonio had told Hera and Elizabeth that they could use the extra cabin, though it was a little small. They had agreed and left with the rest of the crew below deck. The only person left was Lovina. Antonio silently made his way over. When she finally came into view, his eyes widened slightly. She looked mesmerized by the sea and the stars. Her glowing, softer honey eyes gazed out, layered with haze. He slowed down and exhaled slowly. "Um..." he mumbled. "Lovina?"

Lovina blinked a few times, her smile dropping. She turned to look at him. Her eyes glistened in the very dim light. "Huh? What do you want?"

"It's getting late... You should go to sleep." He said softly, walking closer to her.

The Italian scoffed. "If you haven't noticed, this is not my ship, and I've nowhere to sleep."

"Actually," Antonio started, "You are going to sleep in my room. And I'll be elsewhere, because it'd be creepy if I were there too."

Lovina narrowed her eyes slightly. "Hm. How _kind_of you to offer, but I think I'll be fine."

Antonio sighed. "No one's going to pop in and murder you in the middle of the night. Look, there's even a lock on the door. I'm not going to get into that room anytime you're sleeping." Lovina stayed quiet, but her eyes softened. "You don't need to feel afraid on this ship. Nothing is going to happen to you while you're here."

Lovina's arms loosened and dropped to her sides. "...Fine."

Antonio smiled softly at her and watched her walk into the room with a dull feeling. After the door closed, his smile disappeared. _'She looks miserable.' _he thought to himself. The captain took off his hat and exhaled deeply. It had been a strange day. Never had he encountered a _woman_ so _emotional _and _feisty..._. Yet at the same time... she seemed very fragile.

_'What am I thinking? I don't even know. I'm just saving her. That's all I'm doing... that's all I need to do...'_ he scolded himself. Antonio found himself a place to sit, and laid his head back sleepily. _'There's nothing there, you idiot.'_

Lovina locked the door and drowsily stripped herself of the dress. The darkness of the room seemed inviting, and very ominous. Through the very little light, she could see that the bed was made, and it looked as if it had never even been disturbed. The mattress was very comfortable to her. She didn't have any problem falling asleep to the gentle sways of the boat, and the sounds of dimming waves outside. The Italian had been out in moments, breathing in the fresh scent from the pillows. _'There's no one there, you idiot.'_

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><p><strong>Tell me what you think about it? Leave a reviewcomment, and I'll reply back as soon as I can. Thanks :)**_  
><em>


	8. During the Moon

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it took a while to update. **

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><p>Day after dreadful boring day passed by. Just the same as the last, never ending. Lovina sat further away from everyone else, just like the first day. Always like the first day. She was swept in anxiousness, and felt as if she were beginning to drown. <em>'I'm filling up with this feeling. I don't know what it is... I need help. Someone, please tell me. Anyone out there? In my stars?'<em>She thought, tilting her head up to the sky. Her back was against the rail, and she felt a need to fall into the cold, dark waters of the ocean. The captain watched her distant look. Her unamused and uncomfortable look. He quieted himself down.

Wasn't having her on the boat supposed to be great? Wasn't having her here be another addition to his large family? If it was to be, it certainly didn't feel so. He bit his lip slowly, and watched as the crew and two ladies dismissed themselves. It was late after all. The moon was gone, disappeared. But in a matter of days, it'd be back and bright as ever. Antonio sat down next to Lovina, who clearly didn't notice anyone's movement. Her eyes were focused out onto the sea. Once in awhile, those cat-like honey eyes of hers would flicker upwards, towards the faint stars. She sighed, and Antonio sighed as well. "You going to sleep?" He asked. She didn't give a response. "Lovina." He mumbled, nudging her arm slightly.

"What?" She asked, blinking her eyes, and taking out the hazy layer from it.

"Are you going to sleep?" He repeated. He watched her visibly slink downwards. Her shoulders relaxed, and were more sagged than her usual proud stance. She already felt vulnerable to him. Lovina had already shown her weakest self to this person, and felt disgusted by it. How could she be so weak? After years and years and years on the sea, then more years and years and years on land. Did it make her more fragile? Less like her sea-born self?

"No..." She mumbled. "Not now, at least..."

Her whispers sent strange chills up Antonio's spine. He shook off the feeling, and looked at her more sincerely. "Okay. Whatever you want." He said quietly back.

A dreaded silence consumed the two. While everyone else was asleep, they two stayed on the deck, staring up at the stars, both wanting something. She opened her mouth to talk, but quickly hesitated and changed her mind, exhaling in defeat. Antonio noticed this, however did not want her to know that he did. She muttered something under her breath that Antonio couldn't quite catch. The Spaniard moved himself closer to her.

In the time that they spend on the boat, the two had grown incredibly close to each other. Lovina would tell him everything she knew about the sea, about her life that had been so far. She told him about how her crazy stalker came by every day, and how she knew that this day was going to come. She also talked a lot about her family. Antonio knew that she was clearly opening up to him. He did the same. They would spend time together, just talking. Talking endlessly. But Lovina knew the truth. As much as she hated it, she knew that she was starting to have feelings for him.

She mentally cursed herself. The silence resumed and the Italian began to feel Antonio's dreariness. He was starting to fall asleep. "Hey. Where do you sleep anyways?" She asked quietly, feeling him pick his head up again.

"Ah, wherever. Someone's gotta steer the ship. Gilbert's usually the one to do it. He's not one for sleep. I've been keeping him company." He yawned. "But I gradually fall asleep anyways."

"Oh." She muttered. He slumped again. "You should go to sleep. In your own room for once. I can stay up."

Antonio turned his head towards her. "What? No. You deserve the sleep."

"You're about to fall asleep right now, if I weren't talking to you."

"It doesn't make a difference. You should get some sleep. It's late."

Lovina closed her mouth, a little bit angry. "Whatever." Antonio rubbed his face.

"And I've still got those papers to go through, and I have to sort out my stuff... but that's on my desk. In the room."

"I don't mind if you're in there. Just don't get near me." She warned, a threat glistening in her eyes dangerously.

"I wouldn't harm you or touch you. You know that by now." Antonio said gruffly, standing up against his tired will. "Come on." He reached down and took her hand, helping her up. She took his hand and yawned. After a moment of allowing the two to stretch, they let go of each other's hands and shuffled their way into the small room.

"Your 'office' is crappy. To be a proper captain, at least create a separate room for your office." She muttered, still trying to seem awake. The door closed behind them, but was not locked. There wasn't a need to lock it. "Hey, turn around. One peak, and you're fish food."

Antonio turned around and sat at his desk, promising to not look back, for the genuine fear of being shoved overboard. He shuffled through a few papers, some he held up to a newly lit candle to read carefully. His eyes squinted in the dark. At least he could get a few things done. Lovina changed into more comfortable clothes. The only sound was the shuffling of the sword's chain, and the shuffling of letters. There was the squeaking of the wooden floors, and more shuffling. Antonio scribbled down something quickly, so that he wouldn't forget. He moved the chest under his desk more towards the window and sighed.

"I'm so tired..." he whispered to himself, however, Lovina caught it.

"Then go to sleep, bastard."

"You're sleeping, though."

"I'm perfectly awake." She heard another sigh. Her back was facing towards him, and she sat upright on the bed. "As you can tell."

"Sleep, Lovina. Anything could happen at any given point, so you should rest up."

"I'd say the same for you." She said, almost in a whisper. She put her sword in the middle of the bed, and created a line using her extended chain. "Just get on the bed and sleep, bastard, before I knock you out and force you to."

Antonio complied.

In the morning, Lovina woke up early. Her bright honey eyes snapped open. _'Empty.' _She said, recalling the night before, where Antonio had fallen asleep so quickly on the opposite side of the bed from her. She sat up and put on clothes. The gray dawn was still leaving mist on the almost teal looking sea. Lovina dressed more comfortably, and slipped on her boots, trying not to make the floor squeak as she ran a hand through her hair and walked out the door. Her other hand gripped her sword and rest comfortably on her hip. She peeked out, blinking in the light, and feeling the cold air rush her. She flinched back and shivered before continuing. Not many were up. Less than ten people, she guessed. Antonio was near the front, talking to a very indifferent looking albino. Lovina glanced back at the desk, seeing that papers had been organized nicely. They were probably done. She sighed, and closed the door behind her.

The waters around the boat, she noticed as she walked closer to the sides, were covered with a nice layer of mist. The air seemed less stuffy than usual, but the chilly air made her nose sting. She was used to warm Mediterranean waters. _'North'_she assumed. They were going north. She wondered what business that this rogue ship had in Northern European seas. Whatever, she shrugged, it didn't matter to her anyways, as long as she got to make it back home sometime soon.

Antonio stood at the front, leaning against the railing and talking to Gilbert. Of course, his lovely green eyes caught hers for a split second when she left the room. And of course, neither of them said a word. The time they spent talking last night was just between the two of them. Gilbert didn't notice, and continued rambling on about how the day of his brother's death was three months from now.

"-and maybe we could do something for him. I dunno, sit around and light candles or something like that. Isn't that what they do? What's the word again...a vigil?" Gilbert said quietly, toying with the iron cross in his fingers. The necklace that he usually wore was old as old could be, but always kept in great condition. Gilbert made sure no one could mess with it besides him. Antonio looked back at him and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"If you want to, go for it." He answered, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. He knew that Gilbert's brother was incredibly important to him, before he had been murdered. "If you want to honor your brother, then I'd be more than glad to let you to do so."

"Thanks." Gilbert said, looking down with a somber smile. "Means a lot to me, you know?"

Antonio nodded in response and patted his shoulder a little bit. "The rest will be up soon. Let's get our day started!"

As predicted, the day went smoothly. The crew had learned to ban Elizabeth from entering the kitchen, for fear that it will catch fire, or melt of poison. They also learned that Hera was incredibly blunt, and they shouldn't feel offended if she didn't laugh at their corny jokes. Lovina had learned that if she stayed out of their way, then it looked like everyone had a great time. When she was thrown into the mix, everything was much more awkward.

"Get away from me." Elizabeth said, crossing her arms and leaning further away from the frenchman who took a seat next to her.

"I was just taking a seat, Elizabeth. Don't you agree, Alfred?"

"Yeah, Eliza, you're just being a stick in the mud."

"My name's not 'Eliza' you fool. My name is Elizabeth."

Crew members chuckled as Alfred stuck his tongue out at Elizabeth, and she shrugged, and crossed her legs, looking in the opposite direction. It was a normal evening on the boat. Boisterous joking and loud singing echoed around the sturdy old ship. Again, Lovina sat off to the side and kept quiet. It was a normal routine for her. Maybe one day when she felt comfortable, she'd be able to joke around with them like how they joked around with her. She sighed and cast her gaze back out into the waters.

Antonio looked at her and saw the way that her brown hair graciously fell over her shoulders when she sighed. Her honey eyes were distant once again. Everyone had just about said goodnight, and were below deck. He sat by her as Gilbert walked away to the front of the boat. "Did you have a good day?" he asked her.

She sighed. "Yes. Just as the last."

"Oh. Okay." He said quietly. "What time are you going to sleep today?" he asked, turning to look at her. She looked lost and distressed. It made Antonio feel guilty, but he knew it was for her own well being, anyways.

"I don't know. Whenever I feel tired, or whenever I'm done thinking." She answered quietly back. After a moment of silence, she inhaled slowly. "Actually, I'm about to fall asleep." She admitted.

"Let's go to sleep, then."

Just like that, they repeated the process from the night before.

This little routine continued for days and days, and they found themselves not needing to use the chain to separate them anymore.

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><p><strong>Leave a commentreview to tell me what you think. c: highly appreciated~**


	9. Or in the Light

**Thanks for the lovely reviews I received! I hope you enjoy this new chapter. C:**

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><p>There were countless nights that Lovina found herself pitching herself upwards in the night, shaking in fear. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she breathed shakily, taking glances over to the sleeping male next to her. He was never phased. He never woke up. Lovina took her hand away and ran the other hand through her hair. The chain shuffled a little, and Antonio stirred. She froze. <em>'Oh hell no, I'm already a sappy, emotional bitch to this guy. He's not gonna wake up and see me like this.'<em>She thought, making herself face her fears, and lay down again. She almost felt haunted. Like the little locket that she got was going to haunt her. Like her sister was blaming her for her death. She lay down, her eyes blinking mindlessly trying to adjust to the darkness. Lovina turned on her side, away from the Spaniard. She didn't need anything more than just a nap.

Much to her hatred, an arm slithered sluggishly around her waist, and a body moved closer to hers. She cursed. _'God dammit, Antonio, must you be a cuddler?' _Lovina tensed up, biting her lip to calm herself from the strange contact. She was wearing clothes, of course. And he was wearing clothes as well. But he was so... strangely... _warm._And Lovina hated and loved it at the same time. She breathed deeply and relaxed herself. The Italian knew that the nightmare wasn't going to be true anyways. It would never be true. She blinked her eyes rapidly, and calmed her heart rate, which was beating at probably a million miles per hour. The chain pulled on her a little bit, so she adjusted the way the sheathed sword lay next to her.

"You're awake." came a strangely mellow voice. Lovina's blood turned to ice. She mentally cursed herself for moving too much. There was a small silence. Lovina blinked, confused. Why was he still hugging her, if he was awake?

"Yeah." She said quietly, hiding herself in blankets. Antonio's breath was warm on her skin; she didn't dare move another inch. "Go back to sleep."

Antonio blinked slowly, and closed his eyes again. "Not until you do." He replied stubbornly. They were going to hit the coast in a few days. A few more days of them being able to be together in the nighttime. He didn't seem to mind the hold he had on her. He didn't even seem to notice it at all. Lovina thought it was just because he was groggy and one minute away from being dead asleep yet again. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes.

"You're hugging me." Lovina said. It was her turn to state the obvious.

"Yeah." Antonio mumbled, trying his best not to fall asleep. "You're really warm."

"Get off of me."

"...Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"That was a bad question. How about this one: Do you want me to?"

Lovina felt her face warm up. In the smallest voice she could muster up, she said "...no."

With a small cheer, Antonio fixed himself closer to her. His face was near her neck, making Lovina bite her lip. Why couldn't she just tell him no? Lovina sighed and (even though she'd never admit to doing it) moved back comfortably to fit his form. She moved a bit so that her neck wasn't aching, and was peacefully asleep again within minutes. No more nightmares to distract her.

The next night was the same. Sleepily, the two crawled into bed, and started off on separate sides. Somewhere during the night, Antonio had rolled over, and held her again. Not that Lovina really minded anymore. He knew why she woke up in the middle of the night. He knew why she would sit up. And he would always pretend that he was asleep. At least until she calmed down. Antonio was very open to her, and in turn, she was as equally open to him. He could see how hard it was for her to pour herself onto him, to show him who she really was, emotionally. He saw how it made her conflicted, and break down. No one had ever bothered to listen to her the way that Antonio did. It made her feel so vulnerable... yet important at the same time.

Lovina was used to sleeping alone. All of her nights in Italy were spent alone. Her friends had to leave to get to their own places nearby, but really there was no one that Lovina could talk to. She would stay outside her house, dressed down and staring up at the sky. Maybe if she talked long enough to those distant stars, then she could wish for them to come back. It never worked anyways. Lovina had never been in a real relationship. There were little crushes here and there when she was a teeny tiny kid. She had been begged to marry some men, and she always refused. Why? She knew she had to find someone first before being able to decide just who was for her. Even if she _did_find someone, she'd still be alone in the world. It made Lovina sad that she had to get used to being so...alone. Now that someone was nearby her, it wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but it was enjoyable.

Antonio always felt like he the fault for bad things. That he was overall, just extremely bad. And for that reason, he never reached out to anyone. At least, he never did ever since he let something bad happen to people he cared deeply about. Antonio had a horrible past. Anyone that was on the ship had a past terrible as well. It was just that his was tragic. It tore him into many pieces. Antonio held onto her a little tighter, feeling like almost with this apparent innocence, with that false security and truth... things could be right again.

_"Antonio, get your sorry butt over here!" a feminine voice sounded from the other side of the house. Antonio laughed, wondering what he did this time to agitate her. "Where did all of the tomatoes go? I thought we were going to use them to make lunch?" She asked, wiping her hands off on the white apron. Antonio guiltily put his hands up._

_"I took them, yes. BUT. It was for a really good reason this time." Antonio said, wrapping an arm around her waist. He then started to conjure up the worst lie in history, moving his hands around to explain it. "-and then there was a huge explosion at the docks- don't ask me what it was- and then I dropped them all. Thank god I came back alive." He said, watching her start to laugh until her sides hurt. He laughed right along, snaking his other hand around her waist as well to hug her. _

_"You're such a huge dork, okay?" She said, poking his shoulder. He tilted his head onto her almost curly, wavy hair. She mumbled something into his chest and hugged him back. Her skirt hit against him uncomfortably, but that didn't matter at the moment. She said something a bit louder and looked up to him. Antonio tilted his head. "I didn't quite catch that."  
><em>  
><em>"I said." She began in exasperation. "I said, do you really have to leave so soon?" She frowned at him and looked at him in a pained way. "Why aren't you taking me, this time? Remember that promise." she said, taking her hand up to wiggle her fingers. Antonio took her hand and kissed it on the ring that she had on her fourth finger. He nodded and smiled down at her solemnly. <em>

_"I remember, amor." He said, running his hand over the ring. "You haven't been off of the sea for a while. And didn't you want to see your brother again? I feel like the ocean is stressing you out. I want you to relax, without me there to bug you."_

_"Without you there? That's a little worse..." he said, looking up at him with a stubborn face. Her almost hazel like eyes didn't leave his for a moment. They stayed locked together. She sighed, and held onto him again, hiding her face in his chest. "Promise me to hurry back soon, alright? And if anyone messed you up, be sure that I'll mess them up instead!" She answered with the spunk that she usually hand. Antonio chuckled and nodded, running a hand through her hair, and holding her closely. "Promise me that you won't love anyone else while I'm not there."_

_"I promise."_

_"Don't break that promise, Antonio..." _

_"I'd never break that promise. I'll die with that promise. I promise to protect you so that you don't have to have a promise like that."_

_"Then It's perfect." She said with a small smile. "So we don't have to really leave." She tiptoed to press her lips to his. "Be safe."_

_"You too, my love. I'll be back soon_

_Goodbye."_

Antonio never really slept much. There was a lot to be done, and even more to come in the future, now that he had the 'most powerful person to sail the seas' on his ship. The worry of others trying to invade his ship and take her away frightened him most... but he didn't exactly know why. He blinked slowly, making sure not to move much. He snuck out of the bed, replacing himself with warm blankets, hoping that she would not notice his absence. Antonio ran a hand through his hair and took glances at her. Lovina was still fast asleep.

He dressed himself correctly and left the room as quietly as he could. He looked over and saw that Gilbert was -again- sitting down in front of the wheel with his feet on top of it. Antonio sighed. He always ignored Antonio whenever he asked him not to do it. It was no use trying anymore. He walked over to join his friend, and sat down rather reluctantly. "Good morning."

"And a good morning it is, Toni. A good morning indeed." Gilbert replied jokingly, moving his ankles a little bit to steer the boat. "We'll be there by tomorrow afternoon. Just on time too. We're getting low on food and stuff. You know how well Francis is able to estimate how much we'll need."

"Yeah." Antonio agreed, yawning. Gilbert raised an eyebrow at him. Antonio caught his look. "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking then no, nothing happened and no, that's not why I'm tired." Antonio sighed.

"No, that's not it." Gilbert said, looking forward. "Look, I'm one of your best friends. Tell me the real reason why you're stressed."

"What?" Antonio said, trying to give him an innocent look. "I never said I was stressed."

"Sometimes a person doesn't got to say it for another to know." Gilbert said, taking his feet off the wheel.

"I promise, she's not- er, I'm not-"

Gilbert inhaled and exhaled slowly, turning his head to seriously face Antonio. Antonio looked back at him, mentally cursing himself for mixing up his words. Just like every time. "She's very pretty, isn't she." Gilbert asked. Antonio closed his mouth and stayed quiet. "You know, she wears that ribbon or headband in a nice way. It's a lovely touch." He said, a little more stern. If anyone else were to talk to the Captain that way, they'd be demoted. But Gilbert and Antonio had been friends for an extremely long time. "How she ties the bow in the back. Yeah. That's nice. She's kinda feisty too. Not really afraid to tell you off, is she." Antonio looked in a different direction.

"It's not about her-"

"Yes it is." Gilbert interrupted, clenching his fists. "You noticed it. It may be a little different from before, but you notice it." He hissed at his friend. "And I'm not going to let you do it again!"

"Gilbert!" Antonio said in exasperation, turning to look at him with a pained expression. "It's not about her, It's not about Lovina either."

"You know pretty damn well it is." Gilbert replied through a clenched jaw. "Tell me. Do you love this girl? Do you actually, and I mean you swear on your goddamn life that you love this girl. Because if you don't, I might as well spare you the fucking pain and tell you right now that Lovina. Is. Not. Bel-"

"I understand that!" Antonio said, his turn to interrupt. His eyes were a deadly dark green, his features were pulled down into a sneer. "She's dead." A dull pain, almost like a stab to the chest, radiated around Antonio. It was as if all eyes were on him, and he was to be beheaded. "She's dead." He repeated, as if it would make any kind of difference at all. "Dead because I couldn't save her. Alright? Now you got it out of me! You've made me say it for the hundredth time since she died! I hope you're fucking happy, Gilbert, because I know you'd feel the same way if Maddie died, but no- she's alive and well! Alive and happy! _Without_you." Antonio said, almost instantly regretting his words. Gilbert stood up fiercely, glaring down at Antonio.

"At least I'm not trying to replace her." He said quietly, more hurt, and walking away.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading. Tell me what you think will happen and what just happened! Another chapter will be uploaded soon. Stay tuned!<strong>


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